A Handful of Writing Prompts
by awesomejello
Summary: A collection of the submissions I've made to r/RWBY's Writing Prompt Wednesday. Stories are completely unconnected
1. The beginning

**Prompt: Take any scene and replace it's characters with those from RWBY**

"Highlord Arc!"

"Thank the Light!"

"For the Kingdom!"

"For Vale!"

These cheers and more could be heard as Jaune strode towards the Dreadgate, the best route into Salem's domain. Grimm arose from the ramparts as he approached with his army breaking into a frenzy and charging.

The beowolves were the first to crash into the armies of Saunus, easy prey for their coordinated troops. Jaune himself slayed one with a slice to the neck, two more by spinning away from their claws and then slashing Crocea Mors across their chests and a final one with a shield bash to the skull.

"Back you mindless beasts!" As soon as the knight said this roars of Ursa could be heard, signaling rougher fighting ahead, undeterred Jaune continued to fight and urged his troops to do the same "Fight on brothers!"

The larger grimm proved to be a more difficult challenge for the humans, charging over their lines and sowing chaos in their ranks, but through the melee the blonde warrior could hear a familiar voice.

"Rise up sons of The Fang, honor and glory await us!"

Shortly after he could also hear the charge of Anima's warriors and their distinct battle cry, "Victory or death, for the Fang!"

And at the head of the charge was Ruby Rose. It had been years since their journey started, old kingdoms fallen and new arisen and now the girl with a scythe (which was also a gun) led Chieftan Blake Belladona's forces into battle just as he led Queen Nora Valkyrie's. The Reaper lived up to her name jumping into the fray, grimm falling wherever she went until she met up with her old friend.

"I was wondering when you would show up," The Highlord said in greeting.

"I couldn't let you have all the fun," Was the Overlord's reply and with a might "HYAH!' and swing of her scythe three ursa fell at once.

The fighting waged on for a few more minutes that passed in a whirl but with their might combined the grimm were slain and the victors stood outside the Dreadgate.

"Salem! The blood of the Kingdoms, of your people demands justice. Come forth coward and answer for your crimes."

Jaune's decry could be heard across the battlefield and it must have entered the gate as well because moments after he said them the bars opened and a sense of dread washed over the combined armies. Slowly Salem herself graced the battlefield.

Her voice was earily pleasant, like a mother's almost but her words spoke a different tale. "You speak of cowardice, of justice. I will show you the justice of the grave, and the true meaning of fear," As the grimm women spoke more creatures of darkness began to form behind her, where before only Salem was present now there was a horde at her back. A dread unlike any he had felt before paralyzed Jaune to the spot, but not Ruby.

"Enough! Let's finish this!" The short girl charged toward Salem at incredible speeds intent to remove her head from her neck. Crack! In a blur that Jaune wasn't sure he even saw Salem had waved a hand and now Ruby lie in the dirt unmoving, her once shining silver eyes reduced to a dull gray.

A rage that the former team leader knew well began to fill him, he had learned to ignore it but not this time, not when his oldest friend lie dead only yards away from him. "You're going to pay for all the lives you have stolen, monster!"

"Boldly stated child, but the is nothing you can-" The Grimm Queen's words were cut off by an explosion and a strained laugh. "What?"

"Did you think I had forgotten, did you think I had forgiven?" The former Fall Maiden stood above them all on a nearby ridge, horribly disfigured but still alive through sheer hate. "Behold now my terrible vengeance!"

"Cinder!"

"Death to the grimm and death to the kingdoms!" At her word artillery fell from the sky blanketing everyone's troops in a red gas that seemed to kill human, faunas, and grimm alike.

"Fall back!" The Highlord gave the command to retreat, knowing that only those on the outskirts had a chance from escaping the poison settling onto the field. Even Salem was choking on the gas but through her power or sheer will she stood up and retreated back inside the Dreadgate calling over her shoulder as she departed "This. Isn't. Over."

As Jaune fell to the ground succumbing to the gas his thoughts drifted towards the friends he made over the years. It was a hard life fighting Salem but there were small moments of joy with those he loved that he wouldn't trade for anything.

The last thing he saw was the sky and the Atlesian battleships beginning to scorch the earth.

**AN: And thus was my first foray into writing, and honestly what one might expect**


	2. Nora's Recap

**Prompt: Nora fills in Blake on RNJR's journeys**

"Ok so after you left to play with your boy toy WE decided to get our righteous vengeance against those that wronged us, but Yang was too sad, Weiss too kidnapped, and Pyrrha too ashes so they didn't come. It took a while but we walked ALL the way from Patch to Mistral, even on the ocean floor."

"No we didn't," Jaune corrected from his spot in the corner.

"Along the way we were heroes to the common folk, righting wrongs, lefting rights, and leaving no stone unturned investigating murders and saving princesses. For our actions the king of the local town rewarded us by commissioning a weapon upgrade for the dinky Crocea Mors into a sword sword, made from the metals of our dearly departed amazon."

"But upon our heroic travels we were set upon by many dangers including a bug faunus"

"He was a scorpion," Ruby corrected her this time.

"With skills not even we could defeat, he was fast as teleportation, crazy as Weiss without her coffee, and strong as me even! So when all was lost a dashing hero came to our rescue.

"Dashing am I? Ow!" Qrow's comment earned a quick smack to the head from his blonde niece.

"With rugged good looks,"

"Why thank you. Ow!" And again.

"And a giant sword,"

... "What, I learned my lesson"

"After our savior fended off the deadly assassin he finally decided to tell us what's going on, hold onto your bow for this"

Blake's finger raised in protest "But I'm not... forget it, just keep going," and was placed back down.

"Gods and magic are true, there are girls with elemental powers that's passed down by last thought, that kid over there is Ozpin the Wizard, and our hero is a bird. After a personal confrontation with a past demon we finally made it to Mistral where we face our toughest challenge yet: The House."

"What's wrong with the house?" Oscar questioned, speaking for the first time since they got back.

"It's boring and we barely did anything, seriously there were so many things we could have done but we just sat here waiting to walk into a trap. Right back on track now, Weiss unkidnapped herself only to get kidnapped again but Yang managed to bounce back and stay back. Upon hearing news of her fair maiden being kidnapped by her own mother our golden haired goddess,"

Weiss began to protest but was interrupted by her "goddess" of a teammate,"Quiet, I like where this is going."

"All alone Yang walks into the bandit's den demanding the release of her ice princess and transport on her journey, after a display of her womanly strength the cowardly pillagers acquiesce and send the two to reinforce the desperate battle of The House. But their rest wouldn't be long as the unknown traitor Lionheart would lure us into a trap."

"So we are caught in the trap with a dozen enemies around us,"

"There were seven," Ren countered.

"Hazel counts as six. But with sword-swords and hammers, fists and walking sticks we fought whatever they threw at us be it giants, fake giants, bird moms, or fire witches. And then you showed up and know the rest, any questions?"

"Um..." Behind Nora she could see Sun and Jaune wildly gesturing in what was probably the negative "Nope, I think I'm caught up"

**AN: I don't quite remember this one, but it seems to be the beginning of my gravitation of humorous stories**


	3. Mecha Jacques!

**Prompt: "Weiss! Why is your dad in a mecha!?"**

"Weiss! Why is your dad in a mecha!?"

That was certainly something Weiss never thought anyone would ask her but Yang was right, from their viewpoint in Ironwood's office atop Atlas Academy they could see much of the city. Most of it was in the process of being destroyed, without the robotic soldiers that had been decommissioned the kingdom could only rely on its own muscle which was busy defending the walls from ever increasing grimm assaults. That left the city itself easy pickings to the White Fang and it's ballooned numbers after Adam had reached the Schnee mines first and told his twisted story of events. But all that paled in comparison to the mecha displaying the Schnee logo, rivaling the height of the academy. "Why are you asking me?"

The massive war machine strode forward until it was directly in front of the school, Jacques in the pilot seat centered in the chest and covered in some kind of semi transparent material. When he stopped an intercom came to life, loud enough to be heard within the office.

"I am here to claim what is mine, hand over my daughters and the relic and I will deal with this animal filth parading through our city"

Ozpin took charge of Oscar's body, whether or not this was voluntary Weiss didn't know, and pressed a button on Ironwood's desk transmitting his voice back across to Jacques, "How do you know about the relic?"

The CEO's response contained a trademark sneer, "Nicholas left me many things when he died, one of them being the Schnee Mansion. Recently I found a hidden panel containing his journal." The elders of the group tensed, sensing where this might be going.

"It was a very interesting read, one of magical wizards, ancient relics, and powerful maidens. Winter being one of them."

The room was shocked into silence. Winter was currently in the school's infirmary after a nasty bout with the White Fang.

"I suppose Ironwood didn't tell you that did, he is the only one alive that knows.

With a heavy sigh Ironwood began to explain "When Bianca died the powers transfered to Winter. Nick saw what being one did to his wife so he decided that no one would know who became the maiden and convinced me to keep it a secret. We never told anyone not even Winter."

"We will talk about this later James." For the first time since meeting him Weiss saw a face of anger on Oscar's visage. Ironwood's glare was much more effective coming from a grown man.

"I don't regret what I did, Winter had a normal life without you interfering. Well at least as normal as possible."

"Wait there's one thing I don't understand," interjected Nora, "if she is the maiden then why is she named Winter?"

This got a small chuckle from the tinman, "It was Nick's idea, he said not even Ozpin is that paranoid."

"Well he did let in a student with the last name Fall," pointed out Jaune.

"Enough!" It seemed that Jacques had run out of patience, "Winter and the maiden powers belong to the Schnee name so therefore they are mine along with the relic."

"What do you even want with the relic?" The cat faunus of the group cried out.

"The power of creation is squandered in that dungeon, it should be used to it's fullest potential, replicated even if possible. With the relic so much could be done to further the world-"

He was interrupted by Ilia who was colored a vibrant crimson"The relic is not a tool to further you and your companies' influence! We won't let you use it to hurt people worldwide!"

"Fine, if you won't give me Winter then I will take her!"

The mech began to wind up a punch to destroy the academy tower but before it made contact it was stopped by a spectral hand and pushed back. What the wealthy man saw before him was a giant and ghostly version of his butler.

With Jaune's help Weiss had summoned the recently deceased Klein and enlarged him to a size equal to her father's robotic suit. Klein cracked his knuckles and fell into a fighting stance.

"I've been wanting to do this for a long time."

**AN: This was the first time I made something serious outside of copying a scene, and I believe it shows. The dialogue feels kinda cartoony and that's all that this story is**


	4. There's More to It

**Prompt: Yang isn't fully human, turns out Raven is a demon**

"So what's the big deal about being a bird? You act like it's a huge tragedy that happened to you, but it isn't."

Raven continued to look down at Yang in Weiss in contempt, treating them like ignorant children that needed everything explained to them slowly.

"The problem isn't what, it's how. Aura, soul, whatever you want to call it is the most sacred thing in this world. It envelops us, protects us, empowers us. It's who we are. And Ozpin meddles in it."

This seemed to unsettle the yellow and white girls, this time there were no interruptions so the older woman took that as a signal to continue.

"When he gave my brother and I the ability to change form he also changed our souls," The bandit queen's eyes became distant, "We didn't know it at they time but neither of us are who we were before."

"And why should we believe that?" In contrast her daughters eyes became red, patience running thin after the day's events.

"Do you think your father would fall for the woman you see before you?" The lack of response was not as satisfying as Raven thought it would be, "I thought not."

"Back when magic was commonly known those with an altered soul were called "demons", these people would be shunned by society if not outright killed. Another caveat to this condition is what would happen to the children of female demons. Because the mother's soul is damaged so is the daughters."

This one truly seemed to shake Yang to her core. Learning that Ozpin had somehow... damaged who she was before she was even born was both terrifying and enough to send her into a blind rage. But before she could decide which her mother spoke once more.

" I could explain that to you, or you could ask your uncle."

**AN: A pretty short one here, this time something of a wish fulfillment to redo that point about the birds! scene and taking a huge liberty with the term demon**


	5. Birb Kid

**Prompt: Yang inherited a bird trait from Raven**

Even after months of living together her teamates could find new ways to irritate her but this morning was particularly frustrating for Weiss. While rudely awakening her early wasn't uncommon there was always a reason, this time though she couldn't make heads or tails of her red and black teamates running around the room.

"Stop this instant or I will put you both on a diet!"

That got the two of them to stop dead in their tracks. "Now can either of you tell me just why you thought it necessary to run laps around our dorm room?" Blake looked guilty after the admonishment but Ruby was able to explain herself still.

"There's a bird in our room and we were trying to catch it, I don't know where it got to now that you stopped us."

Pinching the bridge of her nose Weiss let out a sigh, "Then why didn't you get Yang to do it without waking up the entire hallway? She's great at dealing with pests."

Blake had recovered from the threat of cutting off her favored food now, "We couldn't find her this morning, her bed's empty." And she was right the top bunk on the other side of the room didn't contain their final teammate.

Weiss' scroll signaled it had a new text message, seeing that it was Yang she opened it expecting to find out where she was. Instead it was another joke that she couldn't understand.

*I'm the bird*

She wasn't in the mood to be fooled with today

*Stop. Not today, where are you Xaio Long?*

The response came back quickly

*I'm serious, look under my pillow*

It was going to be a day with a lot of sighing, resigning herself to the mercy of Yang's humor the heiress went over and yanked Yang's pillow off the bed. Underneath was a small yellow bird and Yang's scroll.

Curious as to what her partner was doing Ruby stopped her search for the bird, "What are you doing Weiss?"

"Being a victim of your sister's prank. She texted me that she was the bird and told me to look under her pillow and well, look!"

So the scythe weilder came over and stared at the small bird that stared back. "Wait, this little bird isn't actually Yang is it?"

"Of course not you dolt." But the bird had something to say about that, with it's beak it began to peck out a message on Yang's scroll which Weiss received.

*It IS me, I woke up like this.*

"Oh my god, my sister's a bird! What do we do, what do we do!?" The youngest of the group began to panic, doing her best to stay calm herself Weiss was able to come up with an idea.

"We could ask Professor Ozpin, he may have seen whatever this is in his life." But Blake remained skeptical.

"What makes you think that a teacher has ever seen people turn into birds?"

Ruby quickly came to her defense, "It's the best idea we have, here Blake you can hold her." The team leader had already picked up Yang and given her to the cat faunus and began to walk out the door with Weiss following her, but as she turned the corner the heiress looked back.

"BLAKE! Do not eat Yang! Give her here now! I'll hold her until we get there."

After walking to Ozpin's office and taking the elevator up the three girls and a bird walked into the clockwork room where the headmaster was finishing a meeting with a student from Mistral and an adult with white hair talking in a southern falsetto.

"Why thank you for meeting us so early Mr. Ozpin, my work has such a crazy schedule."

The old man smiled warmly back to the student's parent, "It's not a problem Mrs. Fall, I understand interesting time tables."

"Oh it's Ms, it feels like milennia since my husband left." Corrected the woman.

Ozpin quickly corrected himself "My apologies, it must be hard to raise a child on your own. But Ms. Fall seems to have turned out wonderfully. If there is anything you need my door is always open."

"Why thank you. Say, are you open Friday night?"

Cinder spoke for the first time since the group of three and half came in "Mom! We should be going." Ms. Fall looked to her daughter and the new arrivals and let out a short laugh.

"Oh I'm sorry if I've embarressed you in front of your friends dear, we can go now."

So the two of the entered the elevator and began to descend, but before the doors closed Ms. Fall shot Ozpin one last wink.

"Team RWBY minus one, what can I do for you this morning?" The headmaster's tone was calm and his face smiling. But the girls' were nervous, Weiss was the first to gain her nerve and held out the bird.

"Um, we're not sure how Professor, but this morning Yang was missing and this bird used her phone to text us that it was Yang."

Ozpin's face froze with the rest of his body, making him appear as a smiling statue for a full ten seconds. "Have you tried pulling on the feather on top of it's head?"

The Ice Queen couldn't comprehend such a nosensical suggestion. "How in the world will that pro-" But Ruby had taken the advise to heart, tugging on the single purple feather sticking up. Where there was once a small bird sitting in her hand now there was a full sized Yang and both girls tumbled to the floor.

Looking somewhat dissapointed Blake asked the question on everyone's mind. "How!?"

But the old headmaster wasn't phased, "There problem solved. Ah look at the time, you four should be heading to Port's class is you don't want to be late."

"But!"

"No buts, or shoud Miss Goodwitch hold your parent teacher confrence?" That got the four to rush to the elevator

"Nope!"

"No thanks!"

"I'd rather not."

"No way!"

**AN: This is the first piece I'd say I'm proud of, it's premise I like and the dialogue felt fun to me**


	6. Grandpa Church

**Prompt: Ruby has a bodyguard for volume 4**

"Hey Red wait up!"

Ruby quickly spun around, "Grandpa Church!" The man walking up to her and her friends appeared to be in his sixties, wearing light blue pieces of armor, and had a large rifle slug across his back.

"This man is your grandpa?" Jaune asked. He Ren and Nora had caught up to their quicker friend after she ran ahead.

"No dipshit, she just calls every old man she sees 'Grandpa'." What was left of team JNPR reeled back. Church looked down at his granddaughter, "Please don't tell me this one is as dumb as mine was."

Nora placed herself between the two men, "Hey it was just a question, no need to be rude about it," If the much shorter girl affect him Church did not show it.

"Yeah a dumb question. Unlike what you were taught they do-" Ruby grabbed his arm pulling him back.

"Yes he's my grandpa, he might seem mean but once you break through," Ruby dug an elbow into his side, "He's actually a good guy."

Church pushed her back away, "Nope, I'm an asshole. Only way to survive being surrounded by other assholes."

Before any more bickering could arise Ren spoke up, "I'm sure you're agreeable to work with but why did you come find us in the middle of Anima?" He questoned.

"Because Tai asked me too," Was the elder's response, "Come on, I've stood around talking about stupid shit for three lives let's at least get moving," Without waiting for a response he set out down the trail.

When the other four caught back up he began to explain, "He wanted me to follow you at a distance and keep Ruby safe. Letting you make you're own decisions but being there just in case or some other bullshit. I hate camping and I hate sneaking around so how about I just tag along with your little friends and we just say you didn't see me."

The team leader let out an annoyed sigh, "I don't need a bodyguard Grandpa. I've been through worse than this."

"Oh really?" Church had stopped in front of team RNJR, "You're traveling across the damn world to track down a dangerous woman, with only your high school friends to help," Jaune tried to interject but Church continued on, "A woman that successfully killed a fifth of the world's population overnight. A woman that outsmarted the best minds of Atlas and Vale. A woman that killed the strongest hunstman in the world. And you want to fight her. You're definitely dumber than my band of idiots was."

Ruby's eyes stared back at her grandfather's, "Then why are you here? Why did you come all this way if you think we're going to fail?"

"You know, this is the same kind of shit you're mother would pull," The old man seemed to put on even more years, "But my son asked me too. He's a dumb ass but he helped me through some shit so I owe it to him. So are you going to let me stick around or do I have to eat pinecones and freeze my ass at night alone?"

His granddaughter smiled and put a hand to her chin in though, "Hmm, ok. But only if you promise not to cramp our style."

"Oh please, between a dumb girl, ginger thunder, a stupider noodle and the green Power Ranger you need all the style you can get."

"It's good to see you again Grandpa."

"Yeah yeah, it's good to see you too Red."

**AN: And this is one that I really love. Both in doing it, how it's characters just seem to click for me, and how it was received, I know one shouldn't write for the glory but this was the first time one of my submissions was on top of WPW**


	7. Turnfeather

**Prompt: One of the main cast is secretly working with the villains**

"Raven didn't get the relic and Ozpin is incapacitated. If you ask me that's a better turnout than what could be expected from that mess."

Salem thought for a moment as she stared back at her minion through the seer grimm. Haven did not go according to plan in the slightest, but he had salvaged it how he could.

"Did Ozpin say anything about your next step?"

His lanky form shrugged, "Get the relic to Atlas. That's all he said before lights out," He peered over his shoulder before looking back at the grimm, "I might not be able to get to you for a while, if there's anything you want tell me now."

"Our actions in Mistral have left the kingdom defenseless and will require protection, leave some of your allies behind," The Queen of the Grimm raised a hand to her chin, "Leave... Ghira Belladonna and his wife there, their mere presence could stop our plans for Atlas. Anyone else that can be separated from your group would be beneficial but not necessary to our success."

"All right, it sounded like he was planing to stay here and rebuild his version of the White Fang. Should be easy," He raised an arm in question, "What about those that do go? Any plans for them?"

"Continue as you have with Ruby, if she asks about what makes her special you know what to do. Keep an eye on Arc and your neice, he's broken which makes him unpredictable, and she's proving to be rather clever."

"And Ozpin?" He inquired.

Salem smiled, twisting the veins on her face, "He used a large portion of his power if what you said is true. He won't be able to speak with you directly and your Oscar won't want to speak for him after what he did. Ozpin has become removed from the game for now."

"There anything else besides protecting the kids from my coworkers?"

"No Qrow, you know what to do once in Atlas. Find the Winter maiden."

Her minion visibly swallowed before speaking once more, "Yes. My queen." Qrow then unsheathed his blade and destroyed the seer and evidence of their meeting.

Salem looked to a shadowed corner behind her grimm, "Did you catch all of that Arthur?"

Arthur Watts long legs carried him out of the darkness before his master, immaculately dressed as ever and a frown hidden beneath his mustache, "I did, and I must advise against trusting Branwen. He's shown to be as loyal to Ozpin as his sister is disloyal."

"Come with me Arthur," Salem floated into a standing position and began to lead the two of them through the halls of her dominion.

"Tell me Doctor, how much do you know about the soul?"

The Atlesian scientist's face was that of pleasure beneath a guarded exterior. "As you know I am the foremost expert on the soul and aura. I don't see the connection between the soul and Qrow Banwen though."

"Patience Arthur," Was the only response he got for minutes as they traversed the labarynth.

The gears within the man's head could be seen turning, trying to understand what connection there could possibly be between the soul, a place in his master's keep he had not been to before, and a drunk. Luckily Salem spoke again as they came before a large door.

"As the foremost expert you would know the interaction between a person's soul and that which creates the grimm?"

Now his guard had fallen and a truly unsure face graced his features, "There is no interaction, the two simply cannot occupy the same place. Similar to oil and water."

"Then tell me Arthur, what would happen to the soul if a person was consumed by a grimm?" Realization dawn on the aging man's face.

"It would be trapped within the grimm. It is surrounded by grimm essence so it cannot leave," Watt's speech sped up as he solved the riddle, "It could then return here. By your will or when it dies, evaporating and taking the soul with it on it's journey here to be reformed.

"Correct." Without moving a muscle the doors opened and the Queen of the Grimm moved inside. Within was a cavernous area filled with shelves, upon them sat containers all glowing a slightly different light. Few things surprised the Grimm Queen's follower anymore but this took his breath away.

"You're bargaining a soul for Branwen's services," Salem stopped in front of a row of containers that were covered, "Correct again Arthur."

"I don't trust Qrow, but he will play along if he can bring back the woman he blames himself for killing with his semblance," She gestured to one container in particular, "But once Summer Rose is back he won't hesitate to turn on us."

Twirling his mustache Watts mulled over his masters plan, "Summer Rose was the closest Ozpin came to defeating you. If she returns he may have a chance to succeed."

Salem smiled once more, "That is why you will devise a countermeasure against the Silver Eyes. You have access to any of the souls within here except for Summer's."

**AN: I was also pretty happy with this one besides the fact it was dialogue and nothing else, something I feel I can get caught in**

"Y-Yes my queen."


	8. A Close Encounter

**Prompt: Other "True" legends in the history of Remnant**

"I'm sorry."

Ruby looked down on the blade protruding from her chest, questioning it's familiarity before it retreated and the world spun. When it stopped she could see Ren held by Tyrian at stinger point and Hazel using gravity dust to hold Yang to the ground, above her the rest of her friends were in a circle and Jaune directly on top of what felt like the hole in her chest. She could see the tears in his eyes as he desperately used his semblance but it felt only like a candle in the blizzard of Ruby's cooling body.

"Warning additional enemies approaching!" The 'new' Penny alerted and launched a blade towards a shadowed path, it's aim was true but stopped short of it's destination. More enemies walked out from concealment, Penny was frozen like her hands that refused to move and allowed the trio of Watts, Mercury and Emerald to pass.

The air shimmered replacing Emerald with the dread inducing image of Salem, Qrow walked up to her also unimpeded. His sword was red, why was it red? Straining her ears to listen above the rush of blood she could hear what they were saying.

"I did what you wanted, now hold up your end of the deal," Her uncle demanded of the woman of darkness. Oscar above her must of heard it too looking particularly terrified.

"Qrow, what did you do!?" He must be very afraid if he was shouting loud enough that she didn't have to exert herself to hear it, "You know you can't trust anything she says!"

Salem didn't hear him though and only spoke to Qrow, "You will have what was promised to you Qrow. Arthur?" She spoke with a cold finality, cold like Ruby's body. Wordlessly Watts moved over to the unmoving form of Penny, pulled out a canister and opened a panel revealing the insides of the android girl.

No one was talking anymore, it was quiet and Ruby felt so tired. She knew she shouldn't fall asleep here but couldn't remember why, surely only a small rest would be okay. Slowly Ruby closed her silver eyes.

When she opened them again everything had taken a blue-white hue, looking down she could see that her own body was normal colored though. Raising her gaze to those around her it wasn't just Penny that didn't move, everyone seemed to be stuck in the position they were in.

Now that the shroud of exhaustion and cold had been lifted the young huntress could remember better what had happened. Standing only a few feet away most of her friends were huddled around a prone form defending it from anything that would come close. Dreading what might come of it Ruby inched towards the group to look between them.

It was her. Ruby could see herself in a puddle of blood coming from her chest. She, she was what? Dead?

"No. No. No." Dreaming? No this was too real, too accurate, she wouldn't dream about dieing like this.

Whipping her head around she looked for any indication of what might be happening, on the third look around she saw something not covered in that blue-white. It was a blond man reading a newspaper on a bench that she swore hadn't been there before. She rushed over and pushed down the newspaper.

"I'm sorry excuse me but I'm-Dad!?" Taiyang smiled back at Ruby from behind the Atlas Gazette. He set the paper beside him and gestured for his daughter to sit.

"Not quite Ruby Rose," He rose from the bench himself, "I'm something of a helping hand, an aiding presence, a guide if you will."

Ruby's eyebrows furrowed together, "I don't understand, what's happening?"

"Oh come now, all those fairy tails and stories and you don't remember me?" He walked behind the bench and put his hands on her shoulders, "I was in every one, sometimes in the background menacingly waiting for a misstep, sometimes center stage and larger than life!"

It clicked. The blue-white hue, time being frozen, seeing herself- seeing herself on the ground. "You're Father, the one that guides spirits to the afterlife. That's why you look like my dad, to put me at ease but be an authority figure at the same time."

The spirit of Ruby got up from the bench and walked over to her group of friends, "But that can't be right Jaune's-" Father cut her off before she could finish.

"-No amount of heart from that boy will heal yours," He looked solemnly down at the body with hole in it's chest, "For what it's worth I am sorry. I never enjoy taking souls so young, it's much better for both of us when they are older."

Ruby grabbed a hold of Father's hand, "You don't understand, my friends need me! Without me they can't beat Salem and the grimm! You have to let me go back or everyone will die!" Jumping back the girl stuck a finger towards Father, "Or is that what you want? Everyone dead and you win?!"

The spirit of death did not flinch at the accusation, "I have heard that more times than I can imagine," His eyes turned distant looking at the mountains in the distance, "That was very popular for Mantle soldiers to say during the great war. They thought their way of life was the only way to beat the grimm. But life has endured even in their defeat. Fortunate for me, without people alive to make more people I would run out of souls after all."

Father was the one to extend his arm this time, "You can't beat me Ruby Rose, you know this. You have to come with me, please it's much better than the alternative."

In all the stories Ruby was told he was right. Father always won in one way or another. She had to go with him and leave her friends behinds.

"You're right I can't beat you. But I can make a deal with you," Father dropped his arm and laughed.

"And what do you have to trade for your very soul Ruby Rose?"

Across from him the silver eyed girl's mouth turned upward, "Salem. She does want to kill everything and she must be very old. Let me come back and I will kill her for you."

When Father laughed again Ruby's smile fell, "I didn't think you had it in you, you drive a hard bargain," He crossed his arms before continuing, "But you can't guarantee that you will beat Salem, I can't take that kind of deal without some form of down payment."

"So take mine," From behind Father a new voice spoke up. Ruby moved around him to see who it was as he turned in place.

"Summer Rose," The spirit of death breathed, "I was wondering where you had gotten to."

Ruby stood stock still, unable to truly recognize the woman standing in front of her but instinctively knowing who it was. The only thing she could say was, "Mom?"

"Hi sweetie," Was her mother's warm reply, like nothing had ever happened since she left. Or that they weren't in some kind of place between life and death and speaking with the very spirit of death.

"Just what does the Rose Mother bring to the table?" Inquired said spirit of death.

Summer walked straight up to Father and unflinchingly stared him in the eye, "My soul. Take it and let my daughter live, she'll kill Salem for you. Do we have a deal?"

Father quickly took Summer's outreached hand in his own, "Deal."

After taking a moment to enjoy his new deal Father looked over to Ruby, "You can have a minute with your mother. Don't be thinking that I was unkind to you," He strolled down to his bench and picked his newspaper back up.

Summer quickly wrapped up her daughter in a massive hug, "You've grown into such a beautiful young woman Ruby." The front of Summer's clothes were wet as Ruby started to cry.

"I've missed you so much. You shouldn't have done that. You should have stayed."

"Shh, it's ok," Those words were so little they shouldn't have been able to bring as much comfort they did, "I'm sorry Ruby. For this and leaving you in the first place. I thought I was saving you from this life but all I did was push you into it. I've made my share of mistakes but right now I know I'm doing the right thing," She lifted Ruby's chin to look in her eyes, "You need to live sweetie and finish this fight. But promise me this, live your life for you. Not for Ozpin, or Qrow, Yang, not even me. Can you promise me that."

"I promise," The two women simply held each other enjoying each other for the last time they never had. Eventually Father appeared before them.

"It's time to go I'm afraid, staying any longer out of the body will do very bad things for your soul. Summer?" He reached his hand out one last time and she took it.

"Goodbye Ruby, I love you."

"I love you too Mom."

Ruby opened her eyes

**AN: A sequel to the prompt of the week before. This one was largely influenced by World of Warcraft's Bwonsamdi, the loa of death. I really enjoyed writing Ruby as she died as crazy as that sounds, Ruby remembering those fairy tales and striking a deal, and Summer! This one was very fun for me**


	9. Grandpa Church is Back

**Prompt: Jaune takes Weiss out on a date post V4**

After everyone had a night's rest they met in living room to decide what they would do next. Afterwards they had all gone their seperate ways, Qrow had went to find transport to Atlas, Yang and Blake had moved to the balconey outside, Ren, Nora, Sun, and Ilia were comparing notes on their respective journeys, and Ruby had asked to speak with Oscar. This lead to Jaune and Weiss unsure of what to do.

"Want to get something to eat?"

"We did just have to fight for our lives, so yes I would like that."

The two of them let the others know what they were doing and began walking towards a downtown area of Mistral. Jaune's armored appearance and Weiss' demeanor parted any crowds around them, making the usually congested streets easy to traverse. They walked in silence until Jaune coughed.

"So where did you want to eat?"

"I wouldn't know. Every time I was in Mistral I dined at a venue that only the wealthiest could afford," The ex-heiress brought a hand to her forehead and sighed, "And I just remembered I don't have *any* money any more. I'm sorry Jaune we can go back and eat there, I'm sure Ren left something that we can make."

The blond moved in front of Weiss when she started to head back, "Woah it's ok, we can find somewhere that looks good from the street and I can pay this time, see?" He took out his wallet and opened it revealing a handful of lien.

Weiss's hair swayed back and forth when she shook her head, "You don't have to do that Jaune."

"It's alright, really. If you want you can pay me back later."

"If I can pay you back, seeing as I'm probably not even a Schnee anymore and not worth a single Lien."

"Weiss?" Jaune had never seen her talk about herself this way, arms crossed and staring downwards. A far cry from the assured and driven girl he knew.

"Forget it. Can we just have breakfast? Please."

The knight relented and found a small cafe where they were served by a nervous looking faunas waiter. After receiving their orders of waffles and eggs the two fell into another silence. Jaune set down his utensils halfway through his Nora-prevented breakfast of choice.

"Weiss, what was that stuff about not being worth anything back there?"

The refined young woman also set her utensils down and wiped her mouth, "I said to forget it Jaune, it wasn't something that I should have said."

"But you did say it. You aren't worthless Weiss, you mean a lot to us."

"That doesn't change the fact that I don't contribute anything of worth to the group."

There it was again, Weiss looking completely defeated and lost. She wouldn't meet Jaune's eyes and spoke in a scathing tongue aimed at herself. The team leader was confused how Weiss could think so lowly of herself.

"But you do, you have dust and glyphs and this giant knight or bee."

"None of that mattered last night!" Weiss slammed a palm on the table rattling their plates and spilling the coffee, "I'm not the heiress of the SDC, I couldn't summon that knight, and I couldn't even defend myself! All I did was loose and almost die."

"Weiss we don't care if you have any money or not, you're our friend. I mean Ren and Nora don't have any family left and lived off what the government gave them and they're still our friends. As for almost dieing..." The knight's face turned downwards in a glare into the middle distance.

"That's not you fault. If anything it's mine," Jaune sinked down in his seat, "I tried to fight Cinder and lost. I'm the worthless one, it's because of me you were hurt. I couldn't even stop her long enough to keep her from throwing that spear."

Weiss was shocked from her own self loathing, remembering how the fight had started. Jaune had charged the strongest in the room without a second thought. He normally would approach cautiously anything that he fought, sizing them up to use whatever advantage he could. Had he really not cared for his life so much that he would throw it away?

"Why did you fight Cinder? She beat Pyrrha, and you aren't-"

"I know I'm not!"

Others turned to see the commotion but were shooed away with an icy glare.

"That's the problem. I'm weak. I'm weak and always have been. If Pyrrha had been with anyone else she wouldn't have sent them away and she would still be alive," Jaune's face mixed with rage and sorrow, bitter hot tears falling onto the uneaten food. "Even my semblance is a joke, I'm not strong enough so I give aura to someone that can actually use it."

The runaway Schnee reached across the table and grabbed one Jaune's hands and yanked it towards her.

"If I'm not useless then neither are you," Jaune tried to pull back but Weiss' grip held firm, "There is more than one way to be strong, you have been trying to do it wrong." Jaune tried to speak up but the white haired girl's speech was unstoppable.

"You have been doing it Pyrrha's way, you will never be as good as her because you aren't her. You have to be strong as Jaune. There was a reason team JNPR was at the top of the class for teamfights, and it wasn't Pyrrha. The scores are counted with everyone's auras in mind, if you weren't leading your team's auras would be much lower and you would have failed. But you covered Ren when he fought an opponet that could outlast him and instructed Nora where to strike for the most damage."

Weiss' hand loosened when Jaune stopped trying to take his back, both of them falling to the table.

"You aren't the best fighter Jaune, but you enable others to do their best. That's your semblance, and because of that I was ok and could summon something larger than I ever had."

The knight stayed silent for a minute before gripping Weiss' hand back. "Thanks Weiss. That helps you know, I don't think I'm completely okay but that helps."

The ex heiress smiled back, "Thats alright. Ruby would always say something when we lost a spar: 'loosing is just learning what to do next time'. So next time we'll do better right?"

"Right."

**AN: Honestly I don't like this one all that much, I don't have much else to say on it**


	10. Oh How the Turns Table

**AN: A world where the heroes serve Salem and the villains serve Ozpin**

She couldn't take it anymore. All her plans, all her machinations were tumbling down and nothing would stop Ozpin's victory. Salem raced through the corridors of her keep evading those that sought her, if her heart still functioned it would be beating frantically. Rounding one last corner the usually immaculate queen of the grimm rushed through the door into the seer chamber.

Disheveled and unkempt Salem commanded the seer to show the one man that could end her nightmare, almost immediately a white haired figure appeared looking almost as haggard as she was.

"You win!"

Salem was stunned, right before she could admit defeat Ozpin had beaten her to it. A twist of fortune that was completely unexpected but would be wholly exploited. She straightened her hair and schooled her face back into it's eerie norm.

"Is that so Ozpin? You forfeit the bet and proclaim I the victor?"

Ozpin's steely glare quickly washed away to shame, "I do," He looked away from the seer unable to look defeat in the face, "Your follows are more difficult to manage than mine."

Pure glee erupted in Salem's chest, after swapping their minions with the aid of old magic she had been slowly driven to her breaking point. It seemed that Ozpin had broken first however.

"Is it truly that much harder to work with professionals than those teenages you had blindly following you old friend?" She would revel in this victory no matter how slim it was, "Or is it simply that your will is that much weaker?"

Ozpin returned his eyes to the seer, "I have to manage four kingdoms and the academies, watching over your followers on top of that as they are teenagers once more and all have their own unique set of 'quirks'. Ms. Sustrai for instance will sleep with any student that she can lay her hands on."

"I didn't know you watched your students that closely Ozpin."

"I don't, but school rumor mills are a great and terrible source of information. The worst part being that it seems to be sexual frustration built up from Ms. Fall being oblivious to any advances Ms. Sustrai makes."

"Some things never change, speaking of oblivousness and incompetency I will admit that your minions-"

"Followers."

"Same thing, the point is that I don't know how you expected to win with them. The supposed strategist of the group suggested dropping a horse out of an airship to crush you last week."

Ozpin put a hand to his chin and hummed, "Well assuming that it hits me I would die to that."

Salem made a mental note of that then continued, "Then there is your silver eyed warrior always going on about how she's sure our victory is assured and the faunas is the edgiest woman I have ever met."

Her age old enemy laughed at that, "Ms. Belladonna is nothing compared to her former partner. Mr. Taurus may have been able to pull off the 'edgelord' before but now he has acne! There's no way that anyone can begin to take him seriously."

A loud crash echoed through Salem's keep but she had no concern, at the end of the bet both parties would recieve their minions back and this last month would all be a bad memory.

"I can see how the Valkyrie girl is a handful though, always trying to break something." Salem conceded

Ozpin grinned, "That's normal for her, it seems that there's one that I can handle better than you."

"Ren encourages it."

"...Oh"

"I am surprised though, I would have thought Tyrian would prove the most troublesome for you. What has he been doing?

"Mr. Callows is rather well mannered, speaking at great lengths with Doctor Oobleck about things such as philosophy, history, and sciences."

"Oh," This time it was Salem that was surprised by her minion's actions,

"Everything is settled then, we can return to suffering our respective underlings. Do remember to keep your end of the deal Ozpin."

Team RWBY had been studying in their dorm room when all of their scrolls began to go off, seeing that it was an emergency message from Ozpin they all opened it to see what he had to say.

"I would just like to let everyone know that I suck. And that I'm a girl. And I like ribbons in my hair, and I want to kiss all the girls. That is all."

All of were stunned into silence until Yang broke it.

"Well I think it's great that Ozpin is open about who he is with the world!"

**AN: This was a fun one creating all mirrored personalities, it was also my first real time focusing on Oz and Salem which I have found to be pretty fun. Side note the part about Jaune dropping a horse to kill Ozpin was a reference to a very interesting post on reddit, go poking around and you might find it**


	11. A Needed Talk

**Prompt: Jaune takes Weiss out on a date post V4**

After everyone had a night's rest they met in living room to decide what they would do next. Afterwards they had all gone their seperate ways, Qrow had went to find transport to Atlas, Yang and Blake had moved to the balconey outside, Ren, Nora, Sun, and Ilia were comparing notes on their respective journeys, and Ruby had asked to speak with Oscar. This lead to Jaune and Weiss unsure of what to do.

"Want to get something to eat?"

"We did just have to fight for our lives, so yes I would like that."

The two of them let the others know what they were doing and began walking towards a downtown area of Mistral. Jaune's armored appearance and Weiss' demeanor parted any crowds around them, making the usually congested streets easy to traverse. They walked in silence until Jaune coughed.

"So where did you want to eat?"

"I wouldn't know. Every time I was in Mistral I dined at a venue that only the wealthiest could afford," The ex-heiress brought a hand to her forehead and sighed, "And I just remembered I don't have *any* money any more. I'm sorry Jaune we can go back and eat there, I'm sure Ren left something that we can make."

The blond moved in front of Weiss when she started to head back, "Woah it's ok, we can find somewhere that looks good from the street and I can pay this time, see?" He took out his wallet and opened it revealing a handful of lien.

Weiss's hair swayed back and forth when she shook her head, "You don't have to do that Jaune."

"It's alright, really. If you want you can pay me back later."

"If I can pay you back, seeing as I'm probably not even a Schnee anymore and not worth a single Lien."

"Weiss?" Jaune had never seen her talk about herself this way, arms crossed and staring downwards. A far cry from the assured and driven girl he knew.

"Forget it. Can we just have breakfast? Please."

The knight relented and found a small cafe where they were served by a nervous looking faunas waiter. After receiving their orders of waffles and eggs the two fell into another silence. Jaune set down his utensils halfway through his Nora-prevented breakfast of choice.

"Weiss, what was that stuff about not being worth anything back there?"

The refined young woman also set her utensils down and wiped her mouth, "I said to forget it Jaune, it wasn't something that I should have said."

"But you did say it. You aren't worthless Weiss, you mean a lot to us."

"That doesn't change the fact that I don't contribute anything of worth to the group."

There it was again, Weiss looking completely defeated and lost. She wouldn't meet Jaune's eyes and spoke in a scathing tongue aimed at herself. The team leader was confused how Weiss could think so lowly of herself.

"But you do, you have dust and glyphs and this giant knight or bee."

"None of that mattered last night!" Weiss slammed a palm on the table rattling their plates and spilling the coffee, "I'm not the heiress of the SDC, I couldn't summon that knight, and I couldn't even defend myself! All I did was loose and almost die."

"Weiss we don't care if you have any money or not, you're our friend. I mean Ren and Nora don't have any family left and lived off what the government gave them and they're still our friends. As for almost dieing..." The knight's face turned downwards in a glare into the middle distance.

"That's not you fault. If anything it's mine," Jaune sinked down in his seat, "I tried to fight Cinder and lost. I'm the worthless one, it's because of me you were hurt. I couldn't even stop her long enough to keep her from throwing that spear."

Weiss was shocked from her own self loathing, remembering how the fight had started. Jaune had charged the strongest in the room without a second thought. He normally would approach cautiously anything that he fought, sizing them up to use whatever advantage he could. Had he really not cared for his life so much that he would throw it away?

"Why did you fight Cinder? She beat Pyrrha, and you aren't-"

"I know I'm not!"

Others turned to see the commotion but were shooed away with an icy glare.

"That's the problem. I'm weak. I'm weak and always have been. If Pyrrha had been with anyone else she wouldn't have sent them away and she would still be alive," Jaune's face mixed with rage and sorrow, bitter hot tears falling onto the uneaten food. "Even my semblance is a joke, I'm not strong enough so I give aura to someone that can actually use it."

The runaway Schnee reached across the table and grabbed one Jaune's hands and yanked it towards her.

"If I'm not useless then neither are you," Jaune tried to pull back but Weiss' grip held firm, "There is more than one way to be strong, you have been trying to do it wrong." Jaune tried to speak up but the white haired girl's speech was unstoppable.

"You have been doing it Pyrrha's way, you will never be as good as her because you aren't her. You have to be strong as Jaune. There was a reason team JNPR was at the top of the class for teamfights, and it wasn't Pyrrha. The scores are counted with everyone's auras in mind, if you weren't leading your team's auras would be much lower and you would have failed. But you covered Ren when he fought an opponet that could outlast him and instructed Nora where to strike for the most damage."

Weiss' hand loosened when Jaune stopped trying to take his back, both of them falling to the table.

"You aren't the best fighter Jaune, but you enable others to do their best. That's your semblance, and because of that I was ok and could summon something larger than I ever had."

The knight stayed silent for a minute before gripping Weiss' hand back. "Thanks Weiss. That helps you know, I don't think I'm completely okay but that helps."

The ex heiress smiled back, "Thats alright. Ruby would always say something when we lost a spar: 'loosing is just learning what to do next time'. So next time we'll do better right?"

"Right."

**AN: Honestly I don't like this one all that much, I don't have much else to say on it**


	12. Oh How the Turns Don't Table

**Prompt: The roles are reversed, Blake is a WF leader and Adam left**

Blake sighed. Another meeting was finished and very little had actually been acomplished, but every step forward was another step towards their ultimate goal. Collecting her papers and other belongings she made her way out of the meeting room and into the hallways of the White Fang headquarters in Vale.

Even though they looked exhausted as she felt everyone the Blake passed waved a kind hello. Truly these were the people that would achieve real change for the faunas. Finally Blake reached the room she was assigned as leader of Vale's branch of the White Fang.

When she opened the door Adam's back was to her, throwing things into a bag on the bed. He must not have heard her enter so Blake put her things down on the counter and strode over beside Adam, "Adam what are you doing?"

Adam started at her sudden appearance, "I'm leaving Blake," He said after a moment, his voice carrying a finality that unsettled Blake.

"I don't understand, what do you mean you're leaving?"

Adam finished packing his bag and slung it over his sholder, "I mean I'm leaving. The White Fang doesn't have what it takes to give the faunas what they deserve."

Blake hugged one arm against herself. Adam had been talking about taking harder lines and forcing their issues forward but she thought he had been willing to follow the White Fang and it's leaders. A dark realiztion dawned on her.

"You want to join Sienna."

Adam reached out and put a hand on Blake's shoulder, "She's gotten good results in Anima Blake. In the villages there faunas can walk with their heads held high without fear of being struck down."

"Because Sienna and her thugs attack anyone that looks at a faunas the wrong way!" A fire had been lit in Blake's torso, smacking Adam's hand away, "That brings us further away from living in equality, not closer!"

Now Adam raised his voice back at her, "You are just your parents' puppet!" He pushed past Blake and stormed over to the door, "The White Fang will never achieve equality because it's impossible!"

Blake had reached the point of being overwhelmed with emotions and stood silently in the middle of the room glaring at Adam, allowing him to continue in a softer tone.

"Please Blake, everyday you work to the point of exhaution for nothing. Come with me and we can change things, real change."

At one point she might have believed that but after the White Fang had splintered and her father had brought it back together when she was just a girl Blake could see that violence only brought fear, not equality,"

"Goodbye Adam."

Saving one last look Adam turned and walked out the door, tearing something from Blake's heart as he went.

**AN: Aha! I took your role reversal prompt and reversed the world so your role reversal would become a role sameversal! I don't know what I just said**


	13. Final words

**Prompt: In a moment of great panic a character of your choice gains the power to stop/rewind time**

Penny reared back preparing to stike. General Ironwood would be proud, she will have defeated Pyrrha Nikos, one of the strongest huntresses of her age. Measuring how much aura Pyrrha had left and the approximate amount of force required to push it under the tournament's threshold for loss Penny shot her swords forward.

**Warning, system overclock engaged**

A green HUD popped up, activating whenever Penny required assistance understanding her more mechanical processes. Beyond the floating text she could see her opponet with outstretched arms and her swords frozen but begining to return to their master. Pyrrha must have used her previously unknown semblance to defend herself.

**Unable to regain control of weapon systems**

So that's why her internal systems had went into an emergency state, no matter she could simply evade the attack and formulate a new strategy to win. Before she could do so another message appeared.

**Rogue weaponry velocity calculated, motor systems unable to react before impact**

Oh, well it seems that Pyrrha's semblance is extremely potent. She would have to remember that through the rest of their fight. Looking out Penny's own swords had traveled half the distance between them as she processed at lightning speeds. After a moment her internal computers were able to calculate how they would strike her and how much damage they would cause.

**Aura- Complete loss**

Now the same swords she had used for as long as she could remember, admittedly not that long, and used on numerous foes had taken on a vicious edge. She had never been hurt, truly hurt and didn't know what might happen to someone with her unique circumstances.

**Internal systems- Memory and sensory input damage minimal, all other internal systems damage moderate to severe**

**Chasis- Severe damage**

**Soul chamber- Damage unknown**

Before Penny was frightened, now she was terrified. Her swords were mere feet away from her and they were going to destroy her body, nothing she could do would change that. In that time facing her own demise Penny looked back on what she assumed was a short amount of time for a life. Out of what she had experienced one thing stood out.

Penny opened a new error log, they were meant to note any abnormalities she encountered but now she used them to write.

*Dear Ruby*

*I don't know if you'll get this but if my father finds this ~~after~~ when he finds this he will be kind enough to give you this message.*

Now her blades were right in front of her, their edges and the strings controlling them perfectly visible in the brightly lit arena.

*I wanted to thank you. You may not have been my first friend but you were the closest, I know I might seem strange due to being an android but you looked past that.*

It seemed that more time had passed than Penny thought. While trying to find what to say she could no longer see the swords, just their tethers trailing behind her.

*You taught me so much about being alive, whether you knew it or not. You were always so full of kindness and friendship, only wanting to help others whether they wanted it or not.*

The tethers wrapped around her, her aura flaring as it futilely tried to protect her.

*And that was something I tried to emulate. Because of that, because of you these last few months have been amazing and I would not have traded them for anything.*

*Thank you Ruby, I am glad I was able to call you my friend.*

Her aura broke

*Your friend, Penny*

**AN: For this prompt I wanted to try to do a sad piece, here's what I got**


	14. The Mystery Bunch and the Monster School

**Prompt: Halloween special**

Team JNPR was waiting in thier room, the Halloween party was in a couple hours so the four of them were trying to pass the time before hand. Jaune was sharpening Crocea Mors, a long grinding echoing throughout the room, Pyrrha did a final check on their costumes hanging in their closet, Ren sat on his bed cross legged and a focused look on his, and finally Nora was reading a book on Halloween monsters.

As it would normally go Nora would be the first to show signs of discomfort while waiting. She let out an exagerated sigh tossing her book down beside her. Pyrrha hung up her ghost costume and turned to the team's muscle, "I thought you were excited to read about all those mythical creatures Nora."

"I was," The ginger haired girl told her fellow red head, "But after doing all of Oobleck's homework it hurts my eyes to read it."

Pyrrha sighed and rumaged through her things next to her bed, "I told you Nora, if they kept hurting you should use reading glasses, here you can use some of mine."

Pyrrha eventually was able to find her glasses case and handed them to Nora who tried them on and read a paragraph to see if they worked.

"Heh, thanks Pyrrha. These work better than I thought they would."

"You're welcome-"

Just then there was an incessant scratching on the door. All four of them traded confused glances before Jaune shrugged, setting Crocea Mors beside him and getting up to answer the door.

When he opened it a ball of black and white was launched into his chest which Jaune was able to catch before it dropped to the floor. It was Zwei, heavily panting and trembling in his arms. Before anyone had time to process that their friends' dog was scared out of it's mind his owner stumbled through their open door.

Yang was already in her costume, with it's discolored skin, stitched body parts, and even the comittment to hair that had been electrocuted she looked exactly like what one would imagine Frankenstein's monster to be.

"Oh hey Yang," Jaune greeted, "Here's Zwei, I don't know why he's so scared. Did someone say the V-E-T word?"

Instead of responding Yang punched Jaune right in the nose. He was able to get his aura up in time but it still pushed him back a few feet.

"What was that for? Whoa!"

Pyrrha had stepped in slamming the sheild of Crocea Mors against Yang's next attack while nudging Jaune back at the same time. The next time Yang tried to strike Pyrrha but overextended as the champion stepped back and raised her borrowed weapon. Friend or not Pyrrha wouldn't let her team be beaten around for no reason and she would give anyone a fight if they truly tried to hurt her friends.

The unfamiliar blade rushed down but instead of meeting aura is bit through flesh and bone, cutting through Yang's outstretched arm. With a sickening slap the severed limb hit the floor stopping everyone where they were standing.

"I'M SORRY!" Pyrrha threw down Crocea Mors and covered her mouth. "I thought you had your aura up! We- we can help, get you to the infirmary. Jaune grab those blankets!"

Yang continued to stand still, never speaking a word. No sign that she had registered her own arm being cut off. Slowly she reached down grabbing the limb and reatached it to her stump. Once she was satisfied that it worked once more she advanced on team JNPR again.

"Quick the window!" Jaune shouted, "I don't know what's going on but we can't stop her!"

One by one they leapt out, Jaune's landing wasn't as graceful as his friends but he and Zwei who he still held were unharmed. The five of them found themselves in one of Beacon's courtyards, this one with a fair number of trees within it. The paths throughout it were illuminated but had been decorated giving them an eerie vibe.

"Okay, what just happened?" Nora asked aloud.

"It was like she was actually Frankenstein," Ren noted.

"Frankenstein's *monster*," Nora corrected

"Right. But the look, how she mindlessly attack, and the-the arm."

Nora didn't look convinced, "But how's that possible? People don't put on costumes and become what they wear."

"Hey, do you guys her that?" Asked Jaune before they could speculate further, "It sounds like fighting over there. Maybe the thing that happened to Yang happened to them."

So team JNPR and Zwei rushed towards the combat, dodging trees and jumping over brush. When they arrived at the edge of the clearing the fight they saw was unlike any other they had seen before. There were four figures advancing on a larger one in the center of them all. The four small ones looked like they had already been fighting much longer than they should of, their skin looked decayed and was covered in slash wounds openly bleeding.

The larger creature however was much more inimidating covered in fur and muscle easily seen underneath. It rushed between the four shambling wrecks, slashing each in turn and throwing them an impressive distance away. JNPR remained hidden in the brush while the unnatural creatures fought.

Pyrrha pointed towards the larger one's head, "Isn't that Blake's bow?" She wispered.

Upon a closer inspection it was, the bow had almost come apart but the furred creature's clothes resembled that of their faunus friend. As soon as Pyrrha had spoken though it turned towards JNPR's hidding spot. Ignoring those behind her Blake charged.

"Split up!" Jaune commanded and as a second thought he put Zwei who was still shacking down, "Stay here Zwei!"

Out in the field they had more room to manuever but whatever happened to Blake gave her an unnatural speed. She lunged at Ren with her savage looking claws, he focused his aura into one palm and was able to stop her after being pushed back a few feet. This gave Nora time to tackle Blake to the ground but was promptly thrown off.

"We need our weapons!" Nora shouted.

"On it!" Was Jaune's response. He pulled out his scroll to call the rest of his team's weaponry but when it opened the scroll was unable to find a signal, "Oh come on!"

Blake had began a viscious assault on Pyrrha would weaved between each attempt, but without any metal on her opponet or herself she eventually took a blow to the head throwing her across the field.

Ren ran over to Jaune's side, "What do we do against her?"

"I'm thinking," Jaune explained, "But I don't know, we don't have our weapons and unless I figure out my semblance right now the ones that we do have are useless. She's faster and stronger than us too."

"Bark!"

Zwei came out from where he had been hiding during the fight. He was growling and advancing on the monster over ten times his size.

"Zwei no! Run away boy!" Jaune shouted. If Ruby's dog died while he was watching him it would be the red reaper that would kill him instead of the monstrous team of hers.

But the corgi did not heed his call, barking worth all he was. Surprisingly Blake did not attack him like she could easily had done but stepped back. this was all the sign Zwei needed to surge across the field sending the much larger beast retreating into the brush.

"Alright I'm confused again," Nora stated.

Pyrrha picked herself up off the ground, "I am too, but I think we shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth."

"We'll count ourselves lucky," Ren let out a short chuckle, "Maybe Blake was still in there and was scared of dogs."

Jaune picked Zwei back up, the small dog looking very pleased with himself wagging his tiny tail, "Good dog Zwei, you'll get a lot of treats when this is over,"

His team looked towards their leader for guidance. It was times like this that he wondered why Ozpin had put him in charge when everyone else was much more capable, wait.

"We should try to find Ozpin, if anyone knows what's going on it will be one of the teachers and his office is closer than the rest."

The five of them once again set off across Beacon's campus, this time more cautious avoiding any other changed students. Along the way the saw team SSSN dressed as rockstars clash against FNKI who were farmers, and CFVY in animal costumes fight against CRDL who didn't have any costumes but still attempted to fight. All of them they were able to evade while they were preoccupied. The base of the CCT was within sight once they turned through one last alley between building.

"I still don't get it," Nora repeated, "None of this makes any sense."

Jaune pressed on at the head of the group, "I know Nora."

"People turning into their costumes, fighting each other, our scrolls being disabled, and did you see their eyes?"

"Now that you mention it yes," Replied Ren, looking quickly wherever someone might be hiding, "When it was just Yang I thought she was angry that her dog had ran away but it's not just her, everyone has red eyes."

"Hold on," Everyone stopped at Rea's command, "Something moved over there, I think by the trashcan," He breathed while pointing at an inconspicious metal trashbin.

Jaune put Zwei back down and got into a ready stance like the rest of them. Slowly inching forward Jaune made himself the first one to be attacked if there was trouble, he had the largest aura so he would be able to last long enough for his team to bail him out, he hoped.

With a shaking hand he grabbed the lid of the trash but before he could lift it a red mass tumbled out of it knocking them both to the ground.

"You won't get me whatever you are!" The voice above him was feminine and familiar but hard to place due to it's owner trying to pummel the life out of him. The two redheads on his team were able to pull hrt off of him even if she still struggled in Nora and Pyrrha's iron grip.

"Ruby? What did I do that your whole team wants to attack me?"

"Jaune?" Ruby's eyes had been closed until she heard his voice, "Oh my god, I'm not the only one!" She used her semblance to break free and for the second time tonight a soft projectile launched into Jaune's chest.

The only one to have kept his composure Ren put a hand on the younger girl's shoulder, "Only one what Ruby? Do you know what's going on?"

"I don't know! We were in our room and these things came out of the vents and possessed my team!"

"Hold on," Nora interjected, "What came out of the vents and how could they possess anything?"

"Well I don't know how they did it but they looked like ghosts that were made of the smoke after you kill a grimm."

"Being grimm might explain why everyone has red eyes," Pyrrha speculated, picking up the trashlid and testing her semblance on it, "But the only grimm that can possess anything are geists, and they can only possess inanimate objects."

"It also would explain why we weren't effected," Ren chimed in, "I was practicing expanding my semblance to others, it would have hidden us while the grimm were possessing everyone. But how did you get away Ruby?"

"I guess I just ran fast enough that they didn't get me," Ruby looked down at her feet, "I don't like ghosts..."

Jaune looked down at his fellow leader still in his arms, she shook every now and then just like Zwei had. Seeing her friends and family being taken over like they were couldn't have been a pleasent experience, "It's okay Ruby, we'll figure this out. They came out of the vents and seem to have spread all over Beacon, the only place they could do that is the main air controls which are under the CCT where we going anyways."

"Alright, but I'm not going down there," Ruby declared, "How about you guys figure out what's happening and I'll see if I can find Ozpin or make a call at the CCT."

"Sure. We just need to get across the courtyard. Let's go it should be easy," Jaune hoped.

"Why would you say that?" Nora complained in a deadpan tone.

The new group of six searched for anything that might block their way, upon seeing none they sprinted across the concrete to the tower. Nora's words proved to be true, at the halfway point a dark figure descended from the sky. Drawing itself back up they saw it was Weiss, dressed in black with skin even paler than normal she had fangs sticking out of her mouth.

"We got this Ruby," Jaune told the weaponless reaper, "You go find Ozpin, if you do then we can figure this all out. We'll be okay."

After a moment she gave a slow nod and used her semblance to shoot into the tower. The remaining five of them circled around Weiss.

"I got it!" Nora shouted. She reached into her pocket pulling out the reading glasses Pyrrha had given to her, quickly smashing them Nora then threw the shard on the ground. This caused Weiss to drop to the ground.

"Quick she won't be stopped forever," Nora lead the four of them into the CCT and hopped into an elevator Ruby hadn't used.

"That was a lot easier than I thought it would be," Pyrrha noted.

"Vampires have a lot of weaknesses," Nora explained, "I read that they are allergic to garlic, can't cross moving water, and *have* to count things you throw on the ground."

"I liked those glasses," The amazon lamented as she pushed the button that would take them to the air controls, "But I don't have any garlic on me so good job Nora."

When the doors opened again they revealed a room shrouded in darkness, machinery hummed and clanked providing fresh air to the entirety of Beacon. While the five of them quitely made their way through the dark passageways a smooth voice rolled through the room, echoing around them.

"Welcome children. I admire your courage but Beacon is already doomed."

"Who are you?" Jaune demanded, "How did you turn everyone into monsters?"

"There are many things within my grasp of abilities," The voice responded, "It would be wise not to challenge those abilities."

Nora quickly decided to challenge her, "We won't abandon our friends and we will stop you! Show yourself so we can tak you down a peg!"

"As you wish."

In the middle of the room a dark smoke coalesced, growing in size and becoming clearer in shape. When it was done it had formed a woman with white skin, black veins, and white hair in an elaborate bun.

"I am Salem, queen of the grimm. My minions have taken control of your friends, there is no hope left for them. But there is for you, leave Beacon and- hey let go of that!"

Salem looked as though her foot was being pulled by an invisible force. Slowly but surely she kept moving to the left even against her protests. Eventually she was gone but in her place JNPR saw Zwei pulling a man with white hair and a mustache from behind one of the machines.

"He was using a projector, good job Zwei!" Jaune cheered, "Pyrrha can you tie him up with your semblance?"

"Done," And as she spoke it happened, metal wires and poles wrapped around the well dressed man. "But just who is this?"

"I believe I can answer that," Ozpin had appeared in the elevator with Ruby by his side.

"Jacques Schnee, CEO of the SDC as well as other titles with letters. He recently bought a warehouse that once help resources from Merlot industries which experiement on grimm. It seems that the warehouse held a mutated form of giest that could possess people with other side effects."

"But why use them on Beacon?" Ren asked.

"Because of it's location," Answer their headmaster, "Beacon is located at a prime location for housing development it is right next to a relatively peaceful forest, has an amazing view, and already has it's own bullhead pads."

"And I would have gotten away with it," Jacques raged, "If it wasn't for you and this damn dog!"

**AN: Can you see the point I just started writing to get this done? Because that's what happened. I wanted it out on Halloween night and just started to crap out the last half which sucks cause I really think with care this could have been a good one. Lessons learned**


	15. Oscar's Lucky Day

**Prompt: Ozpin is reincarnated into Pyrrha**

Pyrrha collapsed to her hands and knees, unable to rise again as a burning lance seared her ankle.

"It's unfortunate you were promised a power that was never truly yours," Her opponet circle around her, lifting her chin so that their faces were mere inches from one another, "But take comfort in knowing I will use it in way you could never have imagined."

Staring her own demise in the face Pyrrha drew herself up as high as she could, using the last of her strength and said, "I don't believe we were finished Miss Fall."

A foreign presence washed over her and of it's own accord Pyrrha's fist lashed out knocking Cinder across the ruined tower. Her body continued to act with a mind of it's own standing up even as her foot cried out.

"Pyrrha?" To her left Ruby had sprung to the top of the tower looking between her and a Cinder that looked none too pleased.

"It doesn't matter how many times you come back, I'll kill you no matter who you wear!"

A quick gear to the chest was the maiden's reward as Pyrrha turned and ran, urging Ruby to do the same. The pain coursing through her body exploded with each step she took, every wave starting in her ankle and radiating out. Had it not been for whatever was driving her body she knew she would have fallen.

Reaching the edge of the tower she leapt off. Why had she done that?

*Because it was the only choice*

"Profesor?" Pyrrha look around frantically but only caught glimpses of Beacon tower spinning by.

*I am sorry Miss Nikos, I've failed.*

"I don't understand! What happened?"

*I will explain the rest at a more... grounded point. But I will tell you that there was more to that story than what you know, the maidens aren't the only ones to live past death.*

"You mean, you?" A flurry of question went through Pyrrha's mind. *How? Why me? Why did he make me jump off the tower?*

*That last one I can also answer.*

"Gotcha!"

*That's why*

Ruby wrapped her arms around Pyrrha, stopping her mad tumble and using her semblance to shoot back onto the tower. After that she brought them both to the ground, now that the danger had passed Pyrrha fell into the safe depths of unconsciousness

**AN: Eh not dissapointed in this one but not exactly proud of it, the only part I really like is this line- "It doesn't matter how many times you come back, I'll kill you no matter who you wear!"**


	16. A World Without Yang

**Prompt: Raven took Yang as a baby**

Jaune opened the door to the roof where he and Pyrrha trained, unlike normal though a small girl sat near the ledge with her legs tucked under her chin. Wrapped in red it had to be Ruby and even as far away as he was Jaune could hear that she was crying. Sending a quick message to Pyrrha he cancelled their training for tonight and moved to sit next to Ruby.

"Go away Jaune."

"Nope."

Ruby glared at him from under her hood "Jaune."

"Ruby," He met her tone for tone. After a minute passed and Ruby hadn't said anything Jaune tried his luck, "What happened."

Breaking down Ruby slamed her forehead against Jaune's shoulder, "I'm the worst leader ever. Weiss doesn't like anyone but herself, she won't listen to what anyone says. Cardin's a jerk, always mean to people and I can't make him stop. And Blake, Blake..."

Jaune knew the troubles Ruby was having with her team. They were four different people that did not work well together, Ruby tried to form some kind of cohesion or bond between them but had no success yet. But that was old news, Jaune had to focus on what had gotten Ruby into this state.

"What happened with Blake?"

"Well we went to Vale to see some of the transfer students show up for the Vytal Festival," Ruby muttered still face first against Jaune's shoulder guard, "I thought time outside of class together would help. But there was this faunas and he was a stowaway and when Weiss and Cardin started about faunas Blake fought back. They fought for hours and then Blake said she was in the White Fang and ran away."

"I wish I was on your team Jaune. I can't do any of this right, I don't have any control on my team like you do."

Jaune put an arm around Ruby's shoulder and was silent for a long time processing everything Ruby had said. It was no secret what Cardin thought of faunas and Weiss would even agree with him in a rare moment of cooperation between the two, and to think he had thought she was perfect before hand. Blake hiding that she was a faunas *and* part of the White Fang would cause massive problems within team RBWW (Rainbow).

"You aren't a bad leader Ruby," He started and pulled her closer, "Your team is just a lot harder to manage than mine. I have two childhood friends and a girl that never has problems, they just have to put up with how bad I am. It's not just the team leader's job to make everyone cooperate but everyone on the team, all of you need to work together. You have four people from four very different backgrounds and it will be a while until you learn how to do that."

Ruby raised her head from his shoulder and wiped her eyes, looking much less distraught then whe Jaune had found her.

"But first things first Ruby. Blake is gone, we should let the teachers know and they'll know what to do."

"Thanks Jaune."

"Thank you for your cooperation on this matter Miss Rose, but there is another matter that we must dicuss. Gynda, James would you leave us the room?"

The two of them left Ozpin's office leaving the headmaster and Ruby as the only occupants in the clockwork tower. Ruby shuffled her feet unsure what her professor would feel the need to speak with her alone after she had told them everything she knew from last night in the CCT.

"There is no easy way to say this Miss Rose," Ozpin began, "But team RBWW is being disbanded."

"What?" Ruby didn't understand what Ozpin meant, how could her team be disbanded? Was that something that happened to teams that failed?"

"You will be able to attned Signal, pass their classes and re-enroll at Beacon. Mister Winchester and Miss Schnee are from families with enough influence that if they so choose will be able to find those willing to educate them to the point of being able to pass the exam to become as liscenced huntsman."

"And Blake?"

Sighing Ozpin pressed a button a his desk which brought up a map with a red dot on it, "Miss Belladonna has left and made her way into Vale last night, but she kept her scroll on her. This is where we had to draw a line. I do feel a deep dissapointment in what may have been but despite the efforts of our staff and yourself team RBWW has not met the expectations of huntsmen."

Ruby's heart fell into her feet. Her dream of being a huntress while still alive had taken a heavy hit, she was unfit to be on her team or in Beacon. Tears began to prick at her eyes.

Without noticing it Ozpin had risen from his seat and put a hand on her shoulder, "Not all teams graduate Beacon, you must know this Miss Rose. You tried your very best to ensure your team's success, an effort that we will take note of. But you have a unique opportunity to try again, do not forget that."

"I-I understand professor."

"Yeah Jaune we're watching it now," Ruby sat on her couch at home, Zwei in her lap and the TV playing the prematch for the next singles round.

"Did you get to talk with Sun's team after what happened?" She asked. On the other side of the call Jaune looked unsettled.

"Yeah. Sun keeps saying that what everyone saw isn't what happened, that Mercury attacked him. They're writing it off as the tournament and fighting getting to him."

"That's awful, I hope Sun feels better and doesn't get into too much trouble...Pyrrha's up next!"

Zwei pawed at Ruby's feet from the ground, confused as to why his seat had decided to become vertical.

"She is? Gotta go Ruby, wish her luck!"

"I will Jaune!"

Adam destroy another of Atlas' metal soldiers, even they admitted the weakness of humans. He rounded the corner into Beacon's courtyard, in it were several students and with them he could see a rabbit faunas that had been injured. Good those that betrayed their own kind deserved to suffer. Now to finish what Atlas had started.

"Adam!" Blake dropped down from out of sight brandishing Gambol shroud.

"Hello my darling."

"Are you sure of this?" Ruby asked.

"Totally," Replied Neptune, "We thought they were upperclassmen we hadn't met but after the fighting we asked around and no one knew them."

"And it was definitely that Cinder's voice that made that speech," Nora said.

"There's no way Pyrrha would ever do what she did, just like I would never hurt someone while they're down. One of them has to have a semblance that messes with your head," Sun noted pointing at his own head.

Jaune lightly touched Pyrrha's circlet thinking deeply before looking up, "I just don't understand. Why do all this?"

He pointed towards Vale in the distance. It was still overrun with grimm and the dragon itself could be seen from here flying around, luckily the grimm seemed content to stay within the city itself.

"It doesn't matter," Declared Ren in a rare moment of raw emotion, "We'll find who did this. We have to, for those we lost."

"For Penny," Said Nora.

"For Sage."

"For Scarlet."

"For Pyrrha."

"And for Blake."

**AN: This one I definitely enjoyed doing, in part because it was a good week for WPW and out of everyone doing this prompt I believe I stood out as the only one to focus on what Yang not being there did to the canon story. Using pieces of scenes to depict it all was also a fun exercise**


	17. The beginning 2 Icecrown Bugaloo

**Prompt: Take a scene and replace it's characters with RWBY ones, (again)**

Oscar fell to his knees. Salem was defeated, after all they had fought through they had triumphed and now she lay a few feet from him now with a human skin tone.

A weight that he didn't know he was carrying seemed to lift from Oscar and a spectral form of Ozma, the first Ozma appeared above Salem. He kneeled down and Salem took his hand, gasping for breath in her last moments.

"Ozma. Is it over?"

"At long last, no queen rules forever my love, " Ozma placed a kiss on her forehead.

"I-I," Salem sighed as her last breath left her.

Ozma shut her eyes then stood up and turned to Oscar, "Without it's masters command the grimm will become an even greater threat to this world. Control must be maintained, there must always be a grimm lord."

Ozma faded leaving Oscar confused. Ozpin and he might not have always been of the same mind despite that being literally the case but he wouldn't have imagined their final meeting to be so impersonal, again doubly so considering they had been the same person.

Oscar walked to the window of Salem's keep, below the battle still raged and people still died. But closer were the grimm pools. Perhaps Ozpin's last words weren't because of a want, but a need. Maybe he meant that someone had to take control of the grimm, and that person was him.

"No one else would understand such a burden. To become something else for the good of the world, it has to be me no one else-"

"Oscar!"

Turning Oscar heard a familar voice.

"There is a grimm destiny before you Oscar, but you shouldn't walk it."

A blackened body where Salem had once sat, charred from fire and and the vile weapon of Cinder Oscar could still recognize it as Jaune.

"The Atlesian battleships sealed my fate. The world of the living can no longer comfort me," Jaune reached out to his friend, "Help me to the pools Oscar, I'll be the jailer forever more of the grimm."

"I can't," Oscar turned away unable to throw his friend to such a fate.

"Do it Oscar! You can live your own life, not Ozpin's. And everyone else can live theirs. But me, my semblance kept me alive at first but it was Salem's magic that sustained me. Allow me one last act of service."

Oscar set his jaw and hefted Jaune to his feet. "You won't be forgotten," He said as he dragged him to the window.

"I have to be forgotten Oscar, if the world is to live free of fear they can't know what happened here today. It's one last lie to save the world."

They were at the window now and Jaune looked directly at Oscar, "Tell them only that Salem died, and that Jaune died with her."

With an impossible effort Oscar threw him into the pits.

**AN: Due to someone submitting the same prompt as before I decided that it would be a great idea to do a sequel to my first ever prompt, this one was a little over 6 months from the first one**


	18. Arctic Monkey Kids

**Prompt: "You had one job! One!"**

"You had one job. One!" Weiss exclaimed, "I handled the invitations, decorations, and food. All you had to do was get Rogue a present."

"Hey I got him something," Sun defended.

"Rogue is too young for a rifle Sun."

"He's plenty old enough to learn how to shoot."

Weiss sat down on the couch next to her husband, "I never said he was too young to shoot, plenty of kids that want to be huntsmen already know how to fight at his age. But Rogue hasn't shown any interest in that, he hasn't even shot a gun before. Owning a gun is too much too fast, take him out and teach him and then maybe he can have it for Oumas."

Pulling her close Sun have her a peck on the cheek, "Ok you're right, like always." Weiss smiled.

"But we still need to get Rogue something in the next few hours."

So the two of them left Klein to watch Rogue and the house while they went into Mistral for a gift. After the fight against Salem Vale and Atlas had been devastated and still needed time to recover, Menagerie while not destroyed was in a similar state of heavy construction which left Vacuo and Mistral. It was an easy choice between the underground black maket and aboveground one.

Thankfully though Weiss and Sun had found it easy to work as a huntsmen in Mistral after Tyrian's dirty work which allowed them to buy a home in the better part of the city. Klein was another blessing, the aging man had followed Weiss to her new home and become something of a stay at home uncle to Rogue.

Reaching the Mistral Market the two of them began looking around the stalls where you could find almost anything.

"So, got any ideas?" Sun asked.

Seeing a fencing stall Weiss lit up, "Perhaps we could get Rogue into a sport."

Following her gaze Sun understood her intent, "Now hang on, if I can't get him a gun you can't get him a sword."

"It is a rapier," Weiss argued, "And it wouldn't be made for combat nor would Rogue be without armor."

"Still a weapon."

"Alright, then what do you suggest?" She conceded.

"How about stuff to help with school?" He asked pointing at another nearby stall. Walking past it Weiss dragged her husband along with her.

"Do you want to be the boring parents? How about a video game?"

Sun's face turned down in a scowl, "Too far the other way, he spends way too much time on the Gamestation already," Sitting down on a bench he let out an explosive sigh, "Being parents is hard."

"Maybe," Weiss joined him, "But we're already better than most of the parents I knew growing up, most of the kids I knew would only get money or gift cards. No heart or effort shown at all."

Just then Weiss' scroll began to ring, seeing it was Klein she answered, "Is everything alright Klein?"

"Of course," Came his answer across the speaker, "I simply called to say that if you haven't found a gift yet I believe I know what Rogue would like."

"How'd you figure that out?" Sun asked.

"I asked."

Later at the party the games had been played, the cake had been eaten, and Rogue's gifts from his friends had been gone through which only left the adults' presents.

Blake and Yang were first with a copy of Imperium, the new hot game. Rogue was overjoyed as his father stood in the back silently cursing his friends. They also delivered some study guides from Ren and Nora who were currently on a mission, Rogue's much more measured response got Weiss grinning.

Next was Ruby with a long case, thinking what this was Sun lept to his son's side as he opened it. Seeing the same rifle he had bought Sun pulled Rogue close, "Hey let me take care of this, tomorrow we'll have a talk about this. But for now it looks like Aunt Winter was able to make it after all."

Coming in the front door Winter also carried a long case along with an envelope, "I apologize for my tardiness, work demanded I stay longer that I wished. This is from your Uncle Whitley," She explained giving the envelope to her nephew.

"Thanks Winter!" Rogue exclaimed as he hugged her, he then opened the card which contained a gift card.

"Told you," Wispered Weiss to Sun.

"You're welcome Rogue. But here," She gave him her own gift, "it's something that I think you could enjoy and your mother could help you with." Inside was none other than a beginner's training rapier.

"Thank you sister," Weiss took the box like Sun had taken the rifle, "But you have yet to recieve our gift Rogue. Klein could you get it?"

Nodding he left the room, shortly after there was a sound of shifting and then a rapid ticking on the hard wood floor. Around the corner a yellow lab puppy came bounding, choosing Rogue as the first person to meet.

"You got me a dog!?"

"Yep," Sun said and put a hand on his shoulder, "But he's a big responsibility, to start out how about you name him."

After a moment of thinking Rogue had decided, "How about Gamma?"

"That's a great name," Weiss answered, "Happy birthday Rogue."

**AN:** **I know it seems strange to get this out of that prompt but what happened is there was another prompt about going shopping for a ship's child which I had tried to prewrite for but the prompt lost in the end. Also Arctic Monkeys is an adorable ship fight me**


	19. Fuck The Gods

**Prompt: Team RWBY and WTCH force Oz and Salem on a date**

"I can't believe we've done this," Watts said

"I can't believe I'm agreeing with one of you," Weiss replied.

"I know this is strange to say the least," Ironwood said from his seat in front of the monitor, "But this might be the best chance Remnant has ever had to know peace."

Over a dozen people were crowded into the security office of a small restaurant. On the camera screens they could see multiple angles of a nice but not overly formal establish, one of the General's favorites even. However every seat was unoccupied save for one table with no other than the Queen of the Grimm and a farmhand.

"I don't know what's going on," Nora shouted from the back, "Mostly because I can't *see* but isn't there a better than setting up Oscar with an ancient woman he doesn't know?"

Hazel grunted, "From what we saw when Emerald used the relic of knowledge it seems that much of Remnant's suffering comes from these two fighting. It might not be fair for the boy but he'll become Ozpin eventually, they all do."

"And if this succeeds the Goddess will be eternally grateful for us to return her happiness!" Tyrian added.

"Quiet! They're actually talking now!" Ordered Ruby from atop Yang's shoulders.

"So… it's nice weather we're having." Oscar noted. He felt extremely awkward, Ozpin still hadn't come out from deep within his mind and didn't seem interested in it now. So now here he was a fifteen year old boy from Mistral on a date in Atlas with the millenia old secret leader of the grimm who was also his ex, kind of.

"Hmm?" Salem stopped twirling the butter knife in her hands and regarded Oscar for the first time, "I'm sorry, you must be Ozma's host. Oscar was it?"

"It is, Ozpin-Ozma I mean isn't here at the moment."

"That sounds typical. For what it's worth I don't hold an animosity for you or any of the hosts Ozma inhabits, when you die I'd like to apologize that you were placed with his curse."

Oscar gulped. Now he was making small talk about his death with his ex, the only thing separating him from that untimely death the agreement from both of them to sit through dinner. But maybe he could still try to help his friends.

"If you don't mind me asking, something that Ozma never figured out is what your plan is," Salem narrowed her eyes at him, "I mean in the past you wanted to unite humanity under you, and now it seems to be a smash and grab for the relics. So what I'm wondering is what you plan to do with them, the best I've come up with is to summon the gods and hope they kill you too with the rest of humanity."

Oscar winced as he finished his quick worded explanation. Even with Ozpin's memories Salem was unreadable to him. She was still for a moment before bursting out in laughter, a strangely melodic noise. Oscar nervously laughed with her, when she was done Salem wiped a tear from her eye.

"Is that what he thinks? No, I've had a long time to reflect and I've come to the conclusion that the gods are dicks. They annihilated an entire world because a group of them rose against them, and cursed a woman beyond measure for being unable to grieve. It's much better to be rid of them, that's why whenever Ozma came close to uniting Remnant I would undo it and ensure they are never called back."

*Excuse me Oscar but I believe I need to talk with my wife. May I?*

"Um… sure, just try not get us killed."

Oscar released control and drifted back to be an observer in his own body, Salem must have noticed it as the butter knife in her hand stabbed down into the table which Ozpin promptly flipped.

"That's what you've been doing this whole time?!" He shouted.

"I was protecting humanity from those tyrants!' Salem shouted back.

"You were undoing the hard work I spent actual lifetimes on!"

"Hard work that would have been lost forever if you summoned the gods, they would turn on us at one point or another. That's why I wanted to take the relics from you!"

"I know that! I was trying to keep the relics from you so that you wouldn't try to commit suicide by god bomb and kill us all!"

Both were breathing heavily when they were done. Oscar took this moment to reassert himself.

"So wait you both want the same thing," We said putting both his hands in front of himself, "We can stop fighting, just don't summon the gods and no one has to die anymore, including me."

"I, I guess we can. But what do we do now?" Salem asked.

"Well I do have one idea."

Months later in deep space the brother gods came together for their weekly meeting.

"Hey Light do you ever wonder what happened to that Remnant planet with the humans, it's been a while since we heard from them," Asked Dark

"The one you destroyed the moon of? Well let me take out my godly telescope and we'll see."

After a moment Light had his telescope trained on Remnant, after a moment of focusing he could see the planet.

"Uh Dark, you should see this." He said.

"What is it?"

"Just come see," Light insisted.

With a huff Dark got up and moved to see through the telescope, through it he could see the planet of Remnant but more interestingly on one of the continents there were words that could be made out. They said FUCK U

**AN: I liked this one, miscommunications can make the biggest of problems can't they?**


	20. Super RWBY

**Prompt: RWBY characters as super heroes/villains**

The Invincible Girl groaned as she was slammed into a building. Her armor was scuffed and dented, inside it Pyrrha Nikos was bruised and battered.

"It's a shame you were given a power that was never truly yours."

On the other side of the street was the Flame Witch, or at least that's what she was called. While Pyrrha had taken enough of a beating she could no longer stand despite her armor's mystical properties the unarmored Witch still looked ready for a night on the town as she approached.

She reached down and yanked the helmet off of Pyrrha's head returning it to it's circlet form and dispelling the bronze armor, "But you won't have to bear the weight of it any longer," Placing it on her own head causing her eyes to glow and a crimson armor appeared reminiscent to what the Invincible Girl wore.

The only response Cinder received was Pyrrha's labored breathing as she readied her blade, that was until a blast of fire flung her down the street. All of a sudden Pyrrha was surrounded by the other heroes she had met in the last few months.

"I don't think so Fire bi-"

"Thunderbird!"

"What? We're all thinking it," Thunderbird replied to Steel Shadow's reprimand and was met with a level glare.

Red Rose helped Pyrrha to her feet and draped her arm across her cloaked shoulders, they then moved to the rear of the group of eight along with Thunderbird.

"Are you okay?" She asked through the mask that along with her hood covered her entire head save for her silver eyes.

"I think so but Fire Witch has my armor, I'm sorry I-"

"It's ok, but we still need your help I have a plan."

"I would but how can I help? Without my armor I'm just…"

"You're Pyrrha," Thunderbird supplied taking off the hawkish mask covering the top of her face, beneath it was the face of Nora. Questions filled Pyrrha's head as Rose lowered her mask as well revealing Ruby, the most prevalent one being how did Nora hide a ten foot wingspan?

"Yeah we just learned all this stuff a little bit ago and it's really long and we don't have time so please just help us," Ruby pleaded.

After a moment to collect herself Pyrrha nodded, prompting Ruby to pick her up and speed off with Thunderbird flying behind them away from the fight that had erupted against the Fire Witch.

"Where are we going?" Pyrrha shouted over the wind rushing by as they zipped through the streets of Vale.

"Your dad runs the power plant that got the new SDC reactor that powers the whole city right?"

"Well yes but I don't see why that is important."

A devilish smile spread across Ruby's face, "It's ok I have a plan."

Across town White Knight crossed blades with the Flame Witch, the shining sword he wielded a construct of his soul made physical. Unfortunately it was the armor he surrounded himself in that met his opponent's familiar blade more often than not.

But where he lacked in ability he made up in friends. When he was thrown to the ground Dragonfire would drive the Flame Witch back with fire of her own, when she ran out of breath The Cat and Steel Shadow used martial prowess and technological augmentations against the magical might of the Circlet. Finally Ghost Blade summoned the spirits from the cursed blade Myrtenaster to swarm her opponent and create an opening to strike.

But for their efforts the Flame Witch seem unphased which she made sure to hold over them.

"You hadn't a chance against me in the past and now I hold enough power to level this city. Surely you can see the futility in this game?"

White Knight raised his sword against her, "We were all alone back then, you can't beat us all."

For his effort a fiery explosion sent him flying, the Flame Witch floating down when he landed, "Is that so? Your little birdy and speedster have already ran, what hope do you have?"

"A little birdy."

A crack of thunder split the sky, as the Flame Witch played with her prey she did not notice the darkening city. From the clouds above to the building windows there wasn't a speck of lighting to the mid afternoon Vale. The entire city had been drained of its power and the sky lent itself to the single figure stood within the clouds and lightning.

From above Thunderbird charged down with sledge in hand and electricity trailing behind she unerringly launched towards her target. The Flame Witch defended herself with a great gout of fire delivered from her sword tip, but Thunderbird powered through it creating a clash of nature's most destructive elements. Fire whirled around lightning and lightning ran through fire, both creating a deafening cacophony of destruction.

Thunderbird's hammer reaching the Flame Witch ended the duel of nature and sent the woman to the ground with a crater making force.

Try though she might she could not lift herself from under the singed form of Thunderbird. Quickly enough everyone gathered around to watch over the arrest of the highly dangerous woman. But before the police were able to arrive Pyrrha quickly took her circlet back an put it on once more donning the armor and helmet of The Invincible Girl.

"You know it was only our friend that could have done what you, not the Invincible Girl right?" Asked Ghost Blade.

Pyrrha smiled under her helmet and shuffled her feet, "I suppose you're right. But things are going to be different in Vale now aren't they?"

"Yeah bad guys better look out," Dragonfire said with a smile, "If they go looking to level the city then the city is gonna level them."

**AN: I had a superhero AU I've wanted to do for the longest time, it was nice to give those hero concepts a place on paper or screen I guess**


	21. Wait That's Not How It Works

**Prompt: Oz reincarnates into Salem**

*Well this is awkward*

Salem sprung from her bed, her rest interrupted by a voice she hadn't heard in so long. With a wave of her hand the candles with her room were lit, Watts had offered to install modern lighting but she had refused taking comfort in the old ways. And as it was they did so, there was none other in her-their room.

The stained windows remained closed letting in the purplish light of the grimmlands and the heavy oaken door also was sealed shut. An appraising eye scanned her belongings, lingering on a small doll before she was satisfied it must have been a dream that dredged up old memories.

The wide bed creaked as she sat down on it again, *I hadn't known you still dream.*

"Ozma! Show yourself!" As quickly as before Salem shot up, this time with magic bristling at her fingertips.

*You won't find me looking outwards*

Slowly a dark realization dawned on Salem, she could feel another presence. It was unlike any other she felt before, rather than the sensing of someone around you it came from within as if there was suddenly more to her than before.

"What have you done?" She accused.

*All I've done is die. You on the other hand sentenced almost a quarter of the world to death overnight and I was among them*

"But how?" Salem asked, "We have been of different minds for millennia, if we weren't this would have already happened."

*If I knew then so would you. Now instead of throwing what I'm sure is a large amount of hate at me I suggest we try and figure out what to do.*

"OzzzzzMAAAAAAAAAA!"

It had been a few days since Ozma had appeared in her head and during that time he had been completely insufferable. Always making comments at everything she did and there was nothing she could do about it. Why had she ever married him?

*I believe it was because I had rescued you from a life a solitude. But I can't say why I had married you either.*

"Ugh, just keep quiet." Salem said.

Opening the large wooden doors to her- *their* meeting hall Salem entered the room and her minions stood. Her mere presence commanded respect, their loyalty entirely to her and respect beyond doubt. As she floated to the other end of the room she reveled in the dark grace of her body, then it stumbled.

"Ah Watts was it?" She found herself saying as she seemed to find her footing.

The mustached man hesitated for a moment before responding with a tentative "Yes ma'am."

"Why do you feel the need to be a bully?"

*Ozma! I don't know how you did this but give me back control!* Salem raged within her own head. In response Ozma only smirked.

Watts again hesitated as Ozma struggled over to the chair and maneuver into it, "Don't mind me, my center of gravity is off I believe."

"Right," Replied Watts, "Well to answer your question Cinder had failed, I wanted to ensure she understood the severity of it."

A growl from said girl was quieted from a gesture. Frowning as they looked once more at Watts and Ozma began to tear into him.

"Is that what you call it? She stole the maiden's powers, destroyed Vale killing millions in doing so, and even murdered Ozpin!"

*Ozma I worked hard with these ones, you will not ruin them now!*

Running a hand through their hair Ozma calmed down enough asking a single question, "That does count as a victory around here does it not?"

"Well the girl with the silver eyes…" Watts said.

"Ah yes, you will find those troublesome if you do what you have here," Ozma replied, "But it doesn't matter now, I wish to go over all of our plans."

"All of them?" inquired Watts.

"All of them."

*Ozma!*

**AN: I'm ok with this one, nothing more to say**


	22. A Meeting

**Prompt: Winter meets her ex-boyfriend again: Julian Chase**

Winter Schnee marched a step behind General Ironwood as she followed him. Two hours ago he had summoned her to his office and then ordered her to follow him, saying there was something she had to see and to save any questions she had.

The general had taken her from his office to the air docks boarding a bullhead that took them to a remote outpost in the wastes of Solitas, once there they had moved through an intensive security checkpoint. On the inside Ironwood moved through the facility with a familiarity, head held high, hands clasped behind his back, and not a hint of hesitation. Otherwise the general's standard composure.

"We're here," He announced.

Here was a door marked with a triangular symbol in an otherwise unremarkable hallway. What made this area different from the rest of the facility or even the facility's purpose Winter did not know, all of the hallways and doors had been marked with similar symbols but never any words.

"General why have you taken us to this location, is there an important asset within sir?" Winter asked.

"In a manner of speaking yes. Go inside," He gestured at the door.

Winter found Ironwood's evasion curious but would not question him. Opening the door she found a circular room, stepping around a machine that blocked her view of the whole area Winter could hear the door close without Ironwood entering. If she could see him he would be wearing a small smile on his face.

The room was filled with multiple machines, some flashing, some beeping, and others with screens. And in the middle of it all was a large tank, within looked to be a man. Walking closer Winter felt like she was in a dream, he looked so familiar but could he really be-

"Julian?"

After a moment his eyes fluttered open and his voice came through the tank, "Winter. I had something planned but, well just forget it. It's good to see you again."

Winter was only able to stand shock still. It had been months, and the crash. Even if he was here and this was him she could see what the crash had done. His lower body was gone as well as a forearm, and the rest of him was covered in scars and pockmarks.

"Julian?" She repeated.

"Yeah that's a fair reaction. Guess I should start at the top shouldn't I?"

"I thought you were dead, the reports confirmed it. The pictures more so." Winter whispered.

"Yeah the Fall was nasty, but I got lucky. Turns out I'm important to a project Atlas is working on, one that needs specific people." Chase explained.

"And because you're an important asset Atlas moved mountains to keep you alive," Winter concluded, "But it's been so long…"

Chase looked off to the side "I know, I also know this won't make everything better but I didn't contact you because I didn't know if I was going to make it. I mean just look at me."

Chase gestured with his remaining arm. Winter took a long look, it was as bad as he said if not worse. But then she marched up to the tank and put her hand on it.

"I do not forgive you," She stated, "But I understand you."

"Yeah not too hard with is it?" Chase quipped before a serious tone returned, "Are we going to be alright?" He asked, putting his hand against hers separated by the glass.

"We will be," Winter replied, "But I do have to ask, what is this project that's so important to use this level of resources on one man? General Ironwood told me nothing."

"I do believe that's where I come in," A new voice called as he entered the room. He wore a brown coat with a loose blue tie and had grey hair and beard. In the middle of it all were square glasses in front of eyes that held countless ideas.

"Now where to begin?"

**AN: Had a friend pushing me really hard to do this one as my motivation had been flagging pretty hard recently, I'm grateful he did it but it was pretty funny when I posted it and he said he hasn't watched gen:LOCK. Ah well he understood most of it**


	23. Chapter 23

**Prompt: Miraculously someone uses someone else's semblance**

"I may not be faster but I am smarter."

Adam watched as Yang threw Wilt off the edge of the rock bridge. It could not be gone, maybe he could retrieve it. Adam ran to the ledge and looked down the waterfall, Blake took this opportunity to deliver a brutal uppercut leaping up after having climbed from where she fell.

Adam's jaw ached from the blow feeling every bit of it now that his aura had broken. Stumbling back he was able to keep his balance but on one of the steps there was something under his feet. Gambol Shroud!

If he could take it he could win, he could make Blake pay. Running forward he saw Blake was doing the same, at some point he knew he would not reach it first. He couldn't end here, not when he had worked so hard, was so close, so right.

That feeling of conviction within Adam snapped, something within him changed and the next thing he knew he was holding the broken and bloodied blade of Gambol Shroud once again on the opposite side of the bridge from Blake and Yang. Between them black and red rose petals fell.

"What is this?" He asked snatching one out of the air.

"Blake you're hurt!"

Yang was right, Adam could see a stab wound in Blake's stomach much like the first one. Looking at the blade in his hand he knew he had done it, but not how. He had been so sure of himself he seemed to will himself to move faster. He had never been slow but he knew he shouldn't have reached Gambol Shroud first, this was something new.

Whatever it was he knew had been given this power for a reason.

Reaching within himself Adam found that feeling he experienced when he was running. With it he shot forward a black and red streak speeding across the ground, blade extended in front of him.

Yang brought her metal arm to deflect the blow, Adam followed up with a punch to the gut that doubled her over his fist. He then grabbed a handful of hair and threw her to the ground.

Yang rolled out of the way when his boot stomped down and got back onto her feet charging Adam. A flurry of punches erupted from the girl, Adam deflected and dodged some but others struck true. Yang was much stronger than Blake and these blows brought true pain with them, Adam was sure he would have multiple broken bones at the end of this.

Looking inside himself again Adam shot back in a cloud of rose petals.

"What did you do!" Yang demanded.

Adam deigned to not answer her charging back in with his new speed. Yang was now on the defensive trying to keep up with the even faster Adam. One strike proved to be what he needed, a cut to her leg that sent Yang to his knees, once she was on the ground Adam prepared a final attack

His movement was too quick to react to and his thrust found it's mark within the chest of Yang Xiao Long.

Blake reached meekly from where she was bleeding unable to help her friend, oh so reminiscent of Beacon

"I told you I would destroy everything you love."

Yang grasped at the blade still piercing her, unable to dislodge it. Adam brought his face within inches of hers.

"You were everything to her. I know because she looks at you like she looked at me. But Blake was never strong enough to do what she wanted, she never was able to choose anything. And like me there would be a day she would have no longer chosen you."

In one fluid motion Adam pushed her off the cliff and pulled out his blade.

"NO!" Cried Blake.

"Now Blake, it's time you got what you deserved."


	24. Dark Mirror

**Prompt: Cinder recruits two young disenfranchised orphans… Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie.**

Nora happily skipped through the Vytal Festival grounds without a care in the world. Well she had one care, she was supposed to do something. Something very important for a good friend of hers. Oh look there's team RWBY!

"Hi guys! I just saw your fight and it, was, awesome!" Nora shouted over the crowd as she ran up to greet them.

She could see Ruby brace herself as Nora rocketed forward. It was no use though as one short girl barreled into another.

"I'm glad you liked it," Ruby groaned from underneath Nora.

Picking herself and then Ruby up Nora dusted herself off while the rest of team RWBY gathered around them.

"Hello Nora," Weiss said, "While it is amusing I would appreciate you do not try to kill our team leader outside of the tournament."

"What? I would never do that! No way, not in a thousand years. Cross my heart and hope to die."

"Oh Nora you're so silly, we know you'd never do that," Ruby said with a smile, "But your fight was even cooler! You knocked the entire other team out of the arena at once!"

Nora rubbed the back of her neck, "Yeah I guess I did. I didn't want to hit them that hard, oops."

"You shouldn't be ashamed of your accomplishments, having that much strength is impressive," Blake said.

"She's right, even I'd have a hard time doing that," Yang chipped in.

"Aw you guys always make me feel better. Looks like Ren and I might see you later in the tournament."

Yang put her fists together, "You better not think me and Weiss will go easy on you."

"I thought you'd have your team leader fight," Questioned Nora.

Ruby raised a finger into the air, "Well you see my dear Nora I thought long and hard about this,"

"We discussed it as a group," Blake interjected.

"I thought long and hard about this with my team," Ruby amended, "And we believe Yang's power and Weiss' utility will make them ready for anything thrown their way."

"Well when you're right you're right," An alarm rang from Nora's scroll, "Oh no I forgot the thing! Bye Ruby, bye Weiss, bye Blake, bye Yang!"

With her quick goodbyes Nora took off once more across the festival grounds somehow avoiding all the other attendees. Colored tents flew past as she ran all wafting different smells, but there was only one she was looking for.

Sat at a tent with brown canvas selling what seemed to be ugly health food was Ren. With a leap Nora sat on the stool next to him.

"Hi Ren!"

"Hello Nora, did you find what we needed?" Ren asked while taking a sip of his drink.

"Yep!"

"Then let's go tell Cinder."

Ren paid for his drink and the two of them walked off into the crowds of the Vytal Festival.

Team RWBY were within their dorm room discussing their strategy for the finals rounds of the tournament. They had won against team FNKI and were going over the other competitors left and who would be the best to beat them

"Are you sure about this Ruby?" Weiss asked, "I'm flattered you think so highly of me but I'm not the girl that I was at the beginning of the year, I don't think I'm the best suited to single combat. Yang should represent team RWBY in the finals."

Ruby groaned from atop her suspended bed, "Weiss we've been over this, you being able to use dust gives you a huge advantage both on the field and who you're up against. For once they're still doing randomized terrain in the finals meaning you have plenty to work with and you're better against a lot of the people fighting than Yang."

"Hate to admit it but she's right," Yang said leaning back in a chair, "Nora is wicked strong I can't beat her in a head to head, Pyrrha I'd have to take off my gauntlets to have a chance and then I'd be trying punch the Mistral champion into submission. I could go on but the point is you use dust a lot more than anyone else and because of it you have an advantage over everyone."

Later that day Weiss found herself fighting Nora Valkyrie once her team had convinced her. The fight had been a hard one, Nora had once almost thrown her out of the ring if it wasn't for a glyph. That had been how much of their fight went, Nora would try and catch Weiss who would half dance half dive out of the way. When she had any reprieve Weiss would barrage Nora with dust and other pieces of the ruined city environment. In the end Nora was unable to get a clean hit and Weiss whittled her aura into the red.

Hands on her knees Weiss took a minute to catch her breath. All around her the crowd cheered, they even drowned out the humming of one of the large electric generators on the battlefield. Again picking herself up from the ground after Wiess's last barrage Nora stuck her hand out to congratulate her opponent.

"Great fight Weiss! I can see why they call you the Ice Queen."

That name again, again she was being mocked. By someone she had just beaten, just shown her superiority. But no this airhead of a girl didn't care about that, didn't care about anything Weiss had endured.

She had fought grimm, terrorists, and earned where she stood today all while having to convince her father to even give her a chance. And this girl who couldn't have possibly done anything comparable mocked her?

Weiss reached one hand to the generator and reached her aura out to the dust within it. The other raised Myrtenaster at Nora and lightning arced from generator to sword to girl. Nora let out a shriek collapsing to the floor

"Nora!"

From the stands her partner ran to her side. Ren slid the rest of the distance to Nora and checked for a pulse.

"Someone help!" He shouted clinging to her body.

Weiss couldn't believe it herself. One moment she was feeling the euphoria of adrenaline and a hard earned win, the next a single statement sent her into a fury that she had never felt before. She should not have done that, she should not have felt that, Weiss was better than that.

But the girl on the ground and paramedics rushing to her said otherwise. The world that Weiss had made for herself started to crash, she might have killed someone for a single comment. What kind of person was she?

She wasn't Weiss Schnee that had fought for her right to her own life, that was going to change the SDC, from the looks of her team in the stands she wasn't even Weiss of team RWBY.

"Weiss Schnee you are under arrest!"

Myrtenaster dropped to the ground as a feeling of numbness overcame Weiss. She was nothing now, no she was a killer.

**AN: This one was fun to figure out how to change Ren and Nora into Emerald and Mercury, if you think about it they have a lot of similarities such as not having any (real) parents at a young age and always being together in the show**


	25. Holding on

Blake was with Yang in a rental car driving through the streets of Patch. Knowing the island better Yang drove while her girlfriend was able to take in the surroundings. While Blake had been here many times she still loved the scenery, from the cute shops to the dense woods Patch was a quaint island that she always enjoyed visiting.

But the usual feeling of enjoyment was not present today, instead a somber mood have overtaken both of them. For the slow driving on a low traffic road Yang gripped the wheel too hard and Blake couldn't take the frown off her face.

"He's getting worse isn't he?" Blake asked.

Yang let out an explosive sigh and continued to drive with eyes straight ahead, "He has good days but Ruby has had to stop working to take care of him. He's confused, forgets what you said a minute ago, and I hate everything about it!"

"He's been through a lot. You're lucky he's made it this far, most huntsmen die young." Blake said putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I know. It's just, you know."

"I do," Blake gave her a peck on the cheek, "You have to enjoy what time you have left."

Coming into Taiyang's driveway Yang parked the car and the two of them got out. Over the years the house hadn't changed much, Tai had the place just how he wanted even with the tall cabinets. The only thing different was the neglected flowers.

Walking through the front door even the furniture hadn't moved except for the addition of a lazy chair that Tai was now sat in.

"Oh hey Raven, didn't know you'd be around. Hi Blake." He greeted them.

Hearing the commotion Ruby came rushing out from the kitchen wearing an apron covered in various foodstuffs.

"Hi guys. Hey Dad can I talk with these two in the kitchen? Alone?"

"Easy there Summer, let's get dinner first before we use those names."

Ruby's face turned an ugly shade of red. Blake thought it would have been funny if it wasn't for Tai's mind fading.

"Taiyang Xiao Long!"

The three of them entered the kitchen as he waved them off and went back to the TV. The kitchen held what seemed to be tonight's dinner in process which Ruby returned to making and Yang seamlessly jumped in. Yang had always been good at cooking and over the years Ruby had picked up some of it, right now it seemed a way to channel their frustration.

"Sorry Yang, I should have told you it wasn't a good day."

Yang grunted as she prepared a salad, "We came all this way Ruby, we weren't going to turn around. And you don't have to handle this yourself."

"She's right," Blake said, "Have you considered getting some help?"

"Dad won't leave this house and I don't think he'd do well with anyone that isn't us," She explained while kneading dough.

"Can we not have this conversation?" Yang asked, "Dad will be alright, he always has been."

Becoming silent the sisters focused on their respective meal preparations. Feeling something of an odd woman out Blake looked for a possible escape from what seemed to be an ongoing discussion between the two.

"I'll go check on Tai," She decided.

Blake received no answer walking back into the living room. Tai was still they way they had left them, in his chair watching a commercial with a blank look on his face. When Blake sat on the couch however a smile crossed his face.

"Blake it's good to see you, it's been…" Tai drifted off for a moment, "You know I can't quite remember where I know you from, that's odd."

Even though he wasn't her actual dad Blake had become close with Tai, he was almost a second father to her. And while she stayed strong for Yang seeing him like this tore her apart as well.

"Tai I'm Yang's girlfriend, remember?" She asked in a small voice.

After a moment of thought he responded, "Who's Yang?"

Now Blake was glad Yang had stayed in the kitchen, to hear that hurt and it would have devastated Yang. Shifting in her seat Blake tried to think of how best to broach the subject, but before she could do so Tai let out a gasp.

"That's me isn't it?" He asked pointing to a mirror across the room, "I'm old. And I'm forgetting things aren't I?"

Blake was shocked that he was able to connect the dots in his state of mind but the fact he could brought a wave of joy.

"I'm sorry Tai, it happens to the best of us."

"Well I sure don't like it, you said Yang like I should know her."

After a moment Blake decided that she should tell him while he was able to understand, "She's your daughter."

A shocked look came across Tai's face as he took this in. For a moment Blake thought she had said the wrong thing with how distressed he seemed, but after a moment he collected himself and asked a question.

"Could you tell me about her?"

The rest of the day Blake spent telling him anything and everything about Yang. Sometimes he laughed, sometimes he denied having raised such a daughter, sometimes even a flash of recognition would arise, but throughout all of it tears were brought to his eyes.


	26. Professor Calavera

**Prompt****:****Maria is a teacher at Beacon.**

Professor Calavera

"We thank you for being willing to share your experience Ms. Calavera"

Maria scoffed as she walked down one of Beacon's hallways, her cane and Ozpin's echoing each others'. She hated Beacon and everything that came with it the rules most of all. It was far too much control required for what they wanted to do, if some hot shot wanted to go and fight grimm whenever and however they wanted then who were they to deny them? But there was something that brought her here.

"You shouldn't thank me, this isn't out of a sense of duty or whatever your other teachers say. I'm only here to ease a guilty conscious, damn thing finally convinced me that being a hermit isn't what I'm meant to do with whatever life I have left."

A knowing smile graced Ozpin's lips as they came to a stop outside a classroom, hers she figured, "Be that as it may I do appreciate having another source of knowledge at my school. If you ever need anything do not hesitate to ask."

With that he left disappearing down another corridor. Opening the door she found a bare classroom, there was auditorium style seating for students facing a large board that could be used for visuals. The walls were devoid of decoration as was the desk at the front of the room, sat behind it was the most uncomfortable looking chair she had ever seen. Maybe she could replace it and have Ozpin pay due to her old bones.

A few days later Maria had settled into Beacon. The new students had done through initiation and would start attending classes the next day and she would have to start putting up with them. But for now she pushed an armchair on wheels to her classroom. Ozpin had not paid for it saying the standard issue chair was suitable so she had gone out and bought the one she wanted.

Taking a short break Maria wiped some sweat from her brow. While she still had aura she was not in huntress condition, this was the most recent of numerous breaks after the chair had been delivered at Beacon's airdock.

"Excuse me ma'am can I help you with that?" A voice asked her.

Looking up she saw a girl with a red cloak, or at least she thought that's what red was supposed to look like now that her eyes weren't working right.

"Don't call me ma'am, professor is going to be bad enough day in and day out."

"I'm sorry I didn't know you were a teacher," The girl squeaked out gripping the edges of her cloak, "I'm sorry I just got here and was moved up two years and I don't know everyone and I'm rambling again aren't I?"

"You most certainly are. How about you help me with this and I'll forget whatever that was?"

A few days later Maria was taking a moment to relax in her chair after the last bell had rung, who knew trying to teach children how to save their own hides could be so difficult? A noise caught her attention, looking up she saw the girl that had pushed her chair sticking around.

"Ruby, did you need something?" She asked.

Ruby startled, "I uh, well you see… I was just-"

"You're avoiding your team," Maria stated.

Ruby deflated and dropped down into her seat head on the desk, Maria thought it was overly dramatic but she was learning that was the normal form of communication for kids now.

"It's not them, or at least not all of them. Weiss doesn't seem to like me," Ruby said.

"So?"

"What?" Ruby asked picking her head up.

"I said 'so'. What does it matter if someone doesn't like you?"

Maria got out of her chair and walked in front of where Ruby sat with the help of her cane.

"Do you think I care what you think of me when I'm up there talking? For a lot of you it's an old woman long past her prime that doesn't have anything worth listening to, and they are partly right. But I don't care," Maria poked Ruby with her cane for emphasis.

"But I'm the team leader, it's my job to make everyone get along," Ruby countered.

"I never said not to try, I'm saying you should even. Gods know what it's like when you don't. But if you do try with everything you have then you have nothing to regret and no one can tell you otherwise."

Ruby sat still as she processed this, one of the few times Maria had seen her do so within the classroom. At first she had thought the girl was overactive and had advanced because she could swing a scythe, but there was something more now. She showed potential in how she wanted to interact with her team and how she listened now.

"So you're saying I should keep trying because if I don't I'll regret it, but if I do then I'll be doing the right thing?" Ruby asked.

"Yes! Now go on and use this knowledge on your team, I have teacher things to do," Maria said making a shooing motion.

"Professor Calavera? Thanks." Ruby said as she walked to the door.

Maria scoffed, "When it's just the two of us it's Maria, none of this professor crap I get all day."

"Thank you Maria."


End file.
